Thanksgiving Impossible Cards Quartet

Impossible Card is the name of this style card 

the base of which is cut in one shape and then 

one panel is "rotated" to produce 

the pop-up center panel. 

(Select a sturdy solid card stock paper for the card base

so that the rotation required will present

the same color on face and reverse sides

which BOTH show on the front of card when completed.)

Designs include: Cornucopia Stencil, Pumpkins with Fence, 

Acorn Raffia Half Wreath, Pilgrim Hat.

Card bases measure 5x7, but center "stand up" 

will alter that flat measurement. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
(NOTE: the card designs will be presented in this order -
Pilgrim Hat, Cornucopia, Acorn Wreath, Pumpkins.
Initial assembly steps that are common to all
will ONLY be presented with the Pilgrim Hat assembly,
and referred back to.)

PILGRIM HAT CARD
ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes.

2. Prepare the impossible care base. First,

position the card as shown, with the center split cut

at the bottom edge, the shaped center toward top,

with the "upright" L and reversed L arms on top sides.

Next, rotate the left front half of card downward

and toward the back, until . . . 

. . . the half cut edge is finally at center back,
and the left L upright is at the left front edge.
This is the FINISHED layout of the card base.

3. Position the reverse L offset accent shapes

within the base L areas as shown, and attach.

4. Position and attach each of the plaque center shapes

onto the base accent plaque shapes.

5. Prepare to lock the arms of the card base shape 

into final position by using a straight edge ruler or

grid mat to position the card so that front edges

are all aligned on a straight edge, and that

side edges are perpendicular, and on the grid.

6. Reverse the plaque assembly shapes, and center

under the space between L arms.

Mark the position of the opening edges left

and right (on backside).

NOTE: this is being demonstrated with a different

card design from the Pilgrim Hat.

7. Turn plaque assembly face side up 
bridging the gap, and equal distance from
pop up and card front, and
glue the ends in place on bottom panels.
8. Rotate the card, realign on grid, position
and attach back plaque.

9. Assemble the hat decoration:

a) position and attach brim strip;

b) position and attach hatband lower edge ONLY,
then tuck leaf stem, swirl and wheat stalk ends
under band as each is positioned and attached to hat,
then complete attachment of hat band.

c) position and attach buckle over band at center.

10. Position the hat assembly over the pop-up

shape at card base center, align side edges,

and attach in place.

11. Position and attach "blessed" word cut.

12. Position and attach hat back shape

over the back side of pop up.

13. Prepare the optional stand shape by bending
on the vertical body perforation and 
on the end tab perf line.

14. To attach the easel stand, position the straight

edge contiguous to the bottom tab snugly

 behind the pop up shape and toward the center

enough that A) it doesn't extend beyond the card edge

when folded flat; and B) is the least conspicuous

when the card is viewed from the back,

then attach the tab in place.

When standing, the pop up leans slightly

backward against the stand

To fold the card flat for sending or storage,

the pop up folds forward and the stand can

un-open to flat configuration, and be folded toward

the edge of the card.

CORNUCOPIA STENCIL
15. Follow steps 1-8 for card construction
that is similar or identical; also step 13 for
stand preparation and attachment, etc.

16. Prepare the cornucopia overlay shapes

by adding the bend to the vine loop below

pumpkin that extends below the base edge.

One way to do this is to lay a straight edge

along the base edge, then . . . 

. . . carefully lift the vine extending beyond edge
and bend upward/forward (along the tiny perf cuts
that are there in the design). 

17. Position the front stencil overlay on the pop up

extension of card base, taking care to align all

outer edges and interior cutout shapes . . . 

. . . with bottom vine loop folded out of the way

slightly, and when alignment is as perfect as possible,

attach the overlay in place.

Position and attach the vine extension to

L shape where it ends up.

18. Repeat step 17 for the backside stencil overlay.

19. Position and attach the "thanksgiving" word cut.

Prepare and attach the self stand, if needed

(the pop up for this design is not as heavy

as others in the Thanksgiving set, and may

stand well without it).

ACORN HALF WREATH

20. Follow steps 1-8 for card construction

that is similar or identical; also step 13 for
stand preparation and attachment, etc.

21. Identify the vine layers with acorn silhouettes

for layering order. Each layer includes

circle punches to indicate order:

one punch is first - or bottom - layer.

Two punches is second, etc.

22. Assemble the half arches in order,

carefully overlapping and aligning the acorn

silhouette portions and base straight edge.

Attach the acorn silhouette overlaps and

bottom "bar" overlaps together as layers are added.

23. Identify and arrange the three acorn units.

Shapes shown here are assembled 

from bottom upward, 

with bottom whole silhouette as build-on base.

Complete A-D to assemble three acorn units.

A. Position the half shape (cream - shows as
the "light" part of the half-checker accent) 
over the whole base with matching edges
aligned. NOTE: the highlight cutout
will allow the base shape to show through
to the finished acorn front.
Also, the "nut" shape shown here
was inadvertently reversed
and is shown here upside-down.

B. Position and attach the next half shape
(green - shows as "dark" part of half-checker row)
on top of the assembly, carefully lining up
the matching edges. 

C. Position and attach the "nut" half shape.

D. Finally position and attach the cap shape.

24. Position each acorn unit atop an acorn silhouette
on the vine half arch assembly.

25. Position the half-arch shape over the center

pop up of card base assembly, matching up

outer edges that correspond, using the top cap

knob to help register the shape.

NOTE: the bottom straight edge should sit

slightly above the perforation and fold line

of the pop up base to allow it to bend freely.

26. Position and attach the "Gathering" script

word cut, taking care that bottom edges

do not extend beyond pop up edge.

Here is the completed card.

(This pop up design is heavy enough that

it probably is best to prepare and attach stand.)

PUMPKINS & FENCE

27. Follow steps 1-8 for card construction
that is similar or identical; also step 13 for

stand preparation and attachment, etc.

28. Prepare the fence by positioning and attaching

the cross beams over corresponding portion

of fence cut outs.

29. Prepare pumpkin accents by positioning and
attaching the tiny stems to each.
30. Position and tack only the pumpkins 
onto the fence assembly with bottom edges 
slightly above fence bottom edge.

31. Position the vine shapes as desired or

following the completed card image, tucking ends

under the pumpkin edges, with swirls and leaves

overlapping on fronts. When preferred arrangement

is achieved, glue vines and pumpkins

completely in place.

32. Position the fence assembly shape

over matching shape on pop up, align edges

that correspond, and attach in place.

33. Prepare the "floating" happy harvest word arch

by positioning and attaching the word cuts

over corresponding edges atop the clear vinyl

or acetate cutout panel as shown using

appropriate adhesive.

NOTE: if preferred, the word cuts can be

arranged behind the top of the fence pop up

and attached where there is overlap.

34. Position the word panel behind the pop up
extension, with the bottom straight edge a tiny bit
above the perforation line (to allow free bending),
and with side straight edges even, and attach.

35. On the card backside, position and attach

the back simple fence shape to clear panel

where fence-shaped edges will align.

Here is the completed card.