Tutorial - Double Decker Pop Up Cards

I really enjoyed tweaking this card to make the instructions super simple no matter what size cardstock you're using. For reference, I started with a sheet of A4, but this tutorial will work just as well with letter size.

1. Place your cardstock horizontally on your trimmer and cut in half.

2. Place one of the halves horizontally on your trimmer and cut in half again.

3. Place one of those halves horizontally on your trimmer and cut in half. You should now have four pieces of cardstock - one large, one medium and two small. See the photo below.

4. Take the medium piece of cardstock and trim one long end so that you are left with 41/2".

5. Place the 41/2" piece on your scoreboard and score at 1", 2", 3", and 4". Make valley folds along each score line.

5. Apply glue or double sided tape to the 1/2" section. Bring the other side of the cardstock over and secure to form a square tube. Set aside.

6. Place the large piece of cardstock horizontally on your score board and score in half. Fold along the score line, pressing firmly to create your card base. 

7. Score the front of your card in half again and fold backward to form an S-fold.

8. Decorate the card base with coordinating pieces of patterned paper that are slightly smaller than the cardstock so you end up with a small border around all four sides. (Alternatively, you can stamp the entire sheet with images and coloured inks.)

9. Apply glue or strong double sided tape to one side of the square tube you created in step 5. Secure it in the middle of your card, slightly to the right of the centre fold line, and evenly spaced between the top and bottom edges of the card. See the photos below for correct placement.

10. Press the square tube flat. Apply glue or strong double sided tape to the left hand side and close the card over the top. This will secure the tube inside your card.

11. The two small pieces of cardstock will form the front and inside panels. Be aware that the right hand side of the inside panel will be visible from the front of the card. If you prefer not to see the panel when the card is closed, you can either trim the inside panel to a narrower size, or use a wider panel on the front of the card.

INSIDE PANEL IS VISIBLE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CARD

12. Time to decorate! I placed one of the little chicks on the very edge of the inner panel so that it looks as though it's peeking around the corner. You might like to add a decorative border strip, a piece of patterned paper, or simply keep the whole panel white. 

13. Add glue or double sided tape to the top section of the square tube. Secure your decorated, inner panel over the glue and push the card closed to make sure it folds flat. 

14. Decorate the second panel as desired.

15. Close the card and attach the front panel to the left hand side, centring it over the card front. Add your finishing touches and you're done!

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Birthday Pair

The Blue Wrens Cut Sheets include some images that are toned or shaded for a more vintage look. They combine beautifully with the muted blues and greys from the patterned paper set, particularly the grid papers that have light images of the little birds.

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Loads of Love

Although it's difficult to see, the back of my little truck is actually filled with tiny red hearts. After punching the decorative border at the top of the frame, I collected the offcuts and layered them into the back of the truck. Some are flush with the background, and some are popped up with foam tape for extra dimension.

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Pop-Up Card

There's a fun pop-up element waiting inside this card!

I added three simple boxes, decorated with patterned paper and die cut images, that pop up when the card is opened. You can add as many boxes as you like, but be aware that adding extra cardstock will increase the bulk of your folded card.

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Hey Chick CAS Cards

A couple of quirky images, some embossed panels, and two fun sentiments was all it took to make these clean and simple cards to add to my stash. 

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Tutorial - Nest Card

Every little bird needs a comfy nest to come home to.

Luckily for us, we can create a nest using a few simple items that you may already have in your stash.

1. Start with this little bird from the Blue Wrens set. I've used one of the images from the Blue Wrens cut sheets, but you can stamp and colour your image if you prefer.

2. Use a small pair of scissors to remove the legs and branch from the bottom of the image, then separate the legs from the branches.

3. You'll need a piece of paper for the background, a scrap of kraft cardstock, and a small piece of hessian or burlap. Use a pencil to draw a rough outline of a nest, which will look a bit like a curved sausage... it doesn't have to be perfect as it will be covered by the hessian. Make sure your nest is big enough to hold your bird.

4. Cut out your nest shape and colour it roughly with different coloured brown markers or pencils. Again, don't worry too much about the colouring as most of the nest will be covered by the hessian.

5. Pull the hessian apart so you're left with lots of strands.

6. Apply a generous amount of glue to your cardstock nest and start securing the hessian strands over the top. The strands should run roughly in the same direction, but make sure they cross over, intertwine, and have messy edges.

7. I added a few sprinkles of flower soft for a bit of variation. You might like to look around your craft room for little pieces of thread or yarn, or perhaps go outside and collect some very tiny, dry twigs.

8. To construct the card, I secured a large kraft cardstock frame around my patterned paper with foam tape. Then I played around with the positioning of the nest and branches. Once I was happy, I began to secure the different pieces in place, starting with the main branch that will hold the nest.

9. I find it easiest to secure the little bird and the end branches to the back of the nest rather than adhering them to the paper. It's easier to adjust the placement first and then adhere the whole thing to the background.

10. Now add the panel to your card blank and you're done!

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Reminder: Digital Store Closing

Our digital store is closing at the end of June 2025. No new digital stamps are being released.

Our blog remains as busy as ever with plenty of regular content,

new physical products, tutorials and inspiration.

What's Changing?

- No new digital stamps

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What's Continuing?

- Regular card making and paper craft tutorials

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When Is It Happening?

There will be no new digital stamps and no monthly challenges from the start of 2025.

The digital store will close at the end of June 2025 giving people the opportunity to use store credit.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Store credit must be spent by the end of June 2025.