For Dad...

My Dad is the most unconventional of Dads I've ever met.  When I was really young, he was a birthday clown, putting acts together for kids (and my own) birthdays...size 20 converse, red nose, mini harmonica, juggling rings and all.  He was really funny in all of his silence.  I learned how to juggle and attempted the unicycle. He moonlighted as a guitarist in a country band.  I don't know a lot about that, although I do have one of his shirts, all plaid and with those pearly snaps and pointy collar.  His classical guitar playing is crazy good and I love it.  I can thank my Dad for my silliness and musical interests for sure.  I have a lot to be thankful for when it comes to my Dad, more than I could say.  So, I made him a Pop-Up Card for Father's Day because a real live card is just so much better than a phone call or an email. And he deserves it.  <3

Make A Pop-Up Card For Your Dad:


Think of a theme, something your Dad digs.  My Dad digs playing the guitar and Garden Gnomes (because I started collecting them for him and hiding them around his house).

Plan a scene and what parts of the scene should have three dimensional qualities.  I chose a garden/music scene, naturally, and wanted the guitar playing and the text of the card to work in three dimensions.

This card uses paper strips accordion folded for added dimension behind the guitar and the mushrooms. The text says, "Happy Dad's Day" in a music note font and will slip behind the right side of the card through a slit in the paper.

Use a fine tip Sharpie and colored pencil to add detail to your paper designs.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

Maybe more Fun than a Pop-Up Card

MyGirl had been keeping her fingers crossed (forever!) for one of my hand made pop-up cards for her birthday.  But, since I had just made her one for Valentine's Day, I was inspired to make her something maybe even more fantastic.

3x5 inch Birthday ''Card"

I don't know what to call this.  I have a vivid memory of my grandmother teaching me how to make a bigger version with a shoe box and paper towel tubes when I was 4 or 5.  I hadn't made one since, but the memory found its way to the surface, and I made one for MyGirl, a tiny one, because little is cute.

Here's How:

1) Find a box and cut a viewing window out of the top.

2) Wrap the box with pretty paper.

3) Make two tubes out of thick yet pliable card board for the spools (make sure they are longer than the length of the box and a diameter that fits inside the width of the box sides). 

4) With an x-acto knife, cut holes the same diameter of the spools on both sides of box, parallel to each other.

5) Now create a story board on paper that fits width wise inside the window of the box (the length can be as long as you want it.  

Here's what my story board started out looking like:

22 inches of Story Board

6) Now tape the story board together so that it is one continuous length of paper.

7) Carefully insert the end of the story board through the window and tape one end to one spool.

8) Wind the story around the spool you just taped it to.

9) Tape the remaining end of the story board to the other spool.

10) Have fun winding your story back and forth!

Here's the one I made for MyGirl:

Crafty Day

Just some fun we've been up to...One of my favorite friends is expecting, so we are sending her this handmade card.  Hopefully she doesn't see it here first!

MyGirl is learning to sew and embroider, an ongoing adventure.  Here is her latest work:

Panda and Rabbit are taken from a great felties book called:  Felties, How to Make 18 Cute and Fuzzy Friends, by Nelly Pailloux.  So much fun!  MyGirl made a bed for Panda and Rabbit to snuggle in with heart embroidery and banana pillow all by herself.  

V-Day Fun

XOXOXO!

Just a Note

I'm very proud of my honey for making it through the first week of training at the Academy.  So to show some enthusiasm, I made him this little pop-up card: