Thanksgiving Pop and Twist Cards

These action cards are surprisingly easy to assemble, 

with Thanksgiving and Autumn themed card bases 
and front decorations for fun seasonal giving.

Lift card front to open and see the panels spread wide 

with smaller stylized stencil panels mounted. 

Offset interior panel provides more visual interest. 

Each card measures approx. 5.25” wide x 7” tall.

Here is are 10 second videos to demonstrate
how the cards open with a "twist" and the arms "pop" wide:

ASSEMBLY: (NOTE the shapes layouts for both appear first,
followed by the Hat assembly, with Acorn following at Step 21.)

1. Identify and cut the shapes:
FOR THE ACORN CARD:
A card base front panel  B card base back panel (with perf.)
C mechanism   D mechanism lower accent panel
F 'arms' accordion strip with acorn stencil panels
G acorn silhouette (shows thru as lower acorn nut)
H acorn cap (sample uses the punch hole version)
I rickrack body overlay  J leaf accent shapes

FOR THE PILGRIM HAT CARD

A hat base (combined front and back)

B mechanism   C mechanism lower accent panel

D mechanism lower accent panel

E 'arms' accordion strip with acorn stencil panels
(not shown: contrast underlays for E stencils;
see Step 10)
F hat crown base   G brim  H band with buckle
I lrg and med leaves, tendril swirl
J wheat stem

2. Prepare the mechanism interior panel

(this is the same for either card design):

a) fold forward in half and crease the horizontal

perforation line all across;

b) open, then fold back along each of the diagonal
perforation lines.

c) open, then direct the side 'arms' in . . .

. . . toward center
as shown to create . . .

. . . the basic house silhouette. 
d) apply pressure to each crease, including those
middle layers to make sure it can fold as flat as possible.

3. Position and attach the lower interior accent panel

on the bottom extension, offset slightly 

on sides and bottom.

HAT CARD ASSEMBLY (continued)

4. Position and attach the brim strip along

the bottom of the hat crown base shape.

5. Locate the spread out perforation guide marks

across the crown, then . . . 

. . . position (centered) and attach the hat band

at along and above the perf guide line.

6. Before the hat band adhesive is completely joined . . .

. . . tuck the tendril stem and the wheat stem

under the hat band, and attach.

(NOTE it is better to have the wheat stem down

further onto the crown than the sample shows

to avoid having it bent when the card is opened.)

Also position (centered) and attach the buckle.

7. Arrange and attach the medium and larger leaves

at the left edge, overlapping the band, tendril

and crown as shown.

8. Fold the hat base in half at middle cross perforation.

9. Position the hat assembly on the card front,

with offset margin all around, and attach in place.

10. If desired, position and attach the contrast panels

behind the leaf and turkey stencil shapes.

11. Fold the 'arms' strip in accordion fashion

to form the 'W' shape as shown.

12. Position and attach each of the accent stencil

panels in each section of the arm panel.

13. Prepare to attach the mechanism to the inside

of card base by opening flat on work surface,

and locating the visual center of the perforation line.

14. Apply adhesive to the backside of the lower
center extension 'house' shape of the mechanism
(strong hold roll-on double sided 
adhesive 'tape' recommended). Position the mechanism
(centered) on the card base with the tip exactly at
the center of the perforation line.

Then BEFORE applying pressure, carefully close
the card top/front to allow the mechanism to
"self-adjust" slightly to allow the card to continue
to close appropriately, then open and apply pressure
to ensure that the mechanism is fully secure.

15. Open top layer and apply adhesive 'tape' 
to the top 'house' panel portion of the mechanism . . . 

. . . then close the card and apply pressure
to attach in place to the inside front of card.

The result should be that the card will open as shown.

16. Prepare to attach the 'arm' strip by folding in half

and positioning the fold, centered top to bottom,

at the middle point of mechanism where perf lines

intersect. Take care that it is perpendicular

to the cross perforation fold line, and that

the tiny portions of the mechanism 'arm' extensions

that remain exposed above and below it

(left portion in this image) are equal.

17. Apply adhesive tape to the upper portion

of the right arm extension, keeping it only

in the area where the arm end panel will connect

(as shown with the dash line and arrow).

Open the arm strip flat and apply pressure so that

it attaches firmly where the adhesive was applied.

18. Fold the left half back . . .

. . . and apply adhesive

tape to the lower portion in similar manner

as in Step 17 above, then . . 

. . . unfold the strip to position and . . .

. . . apply pressure to secure the left end of strip.

19. Assist the mechanism with strip to close up
as intended by slowly folding the top portion
forward into place . . . 

. . . as the mechanism arms pull inward
with the right end twisting downward and
the left end twisting upward . . .

. . . until the arms strip is fully rotated into its 'stacked'
position between the front and back panels as shown.

Apply full pressure to secure all the inner surfaces.
The card assembly is complete at this point.

20. If desired, rotary cut a .5" wide x 11-12" long strip

of decorative print-weight paper as a band

to keep the card closed for gifting.

Position it vertically across center of card, then . . . 

. . . fold back at top and bottom to wrap around
card. On back side, overlap the ends 
(trim if necessary), then . . . 

. . . use a 'seal' shape of some kind -- such as

this 'waste' turkey shape from the stencil panels --

to attach and hold the band in place.

ACORN CARD ASSEMBLY (continued)

21. Prepare the card base back by bending

forward at the tip perforation line.

22. Position the card front and back base panels

back to back, align edges, then attach the two

above the perforation line to create a 'hinged' base.

23. Prepare the acorn decorative front by attaching

cap on top of 'nut' base with edges aligned.

Position and attach the oak leaf half overlay.

Position the rickrack overlay below the cap edge,
center and attach. Position and attach the berry
punch circles into the leaf overlay recesses.

Attach decorative brad or stud at cap punch hole
if desired, then position leaf and 
attach overlapped surfaces.

24. Prepare the 'arm' strip by folding in accordion

manner into the 'W' shape as shown.

25. Position and attach the acorn stencil panels

into each of the 'arm' sections

(attach the contrast panels behind stencils first

if desired).

26. Refer to the Pilgrim Hat card Steps 2, 13-19
to prepare the mechanism shape, position
and attach it (point of 'house' shape should be
placed just below the perforation line where
base shapes attach), position and attach 'arm' strip
to mechanism arm extensions, etc.

Then assist the card and mechanism to

close initially in the same way.

Here is the completed Acorn card.

27.  If desired, rotary cut a .5" wide x 9-10" long strip

of decorative print-weight paper as a band

to keep the card closed for gifting.

Position it horizontally across card, then . . . 

. . . wrap ends around to backside of card,
overlap (trim if necessary), then attach with
a seal shape of some kind, such as the leaf cutout
'waste' from the Pilgrim Hat arms panel.