Folded Circles 3D Cross 5x7 Card

 
Low-relief dimension is added to this seasonal or religious card 

by means of a folded circle that imitates a lily bloom. 

Five blooms are arranged at center of 5x7 card 

to create a cross form, with decorative brads adding 

accent and harmony. 

At bottom, an arched “He Is Risen” welded word phrase 

celebrating the Easter message can be added 

(use a sharp blade when cutting), balanced by 

a crossed-stem pair of delicate palm fronds at top 

under upper bloom unit. 

Other arch phrases are available as separate files, 

sized to fit this card design layout. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A card base   B card front panel with guide marks, holes

C circles for folding to create cross

D & E left & right accent overlays for folded circles

F palm fronds decoration

G word cut outs for He Is Risen!

H retained "weeded" rectangle positioning guide

2. Prepare the folded circles choosing from two

cut styles and procedures:

A) cut the edge marks only version, then . . .

. . . use a stylus with fine ball point and straight edge

to score straight4  fold lines between edge marks

at sides and center bottom.

-OR-

B) cut the circles with perforation lines.

3. For either version, fold the inward angled lines

forward as "valley" folds, and . . .

. . . the outer angled lines backward as "mountain" folds. 

Complete the folds, mirrored, on each half of 

all cut circles.

4. If using two-sided card stock, adding accent shapes

may NOT be necessary to achieve desired effect.

If not, or for additional decorative choices,

cut out and add the accent shapes between perf lines

on each side as shown here.

5. Finish circles prep by adding dabs of glue low

on the "inside" of folds as shown here, . . .

. . . and low under the "petals" half shapes that

are folded outward as viewed from the front of unit.

Press with a weight, or hold until secure.

NOTE: keeping some dimensionality for the folded

circle is desirable, so don't squash them to be too flat,

if possible.

7. Begin the final front panel assembly by locating

the top-most vertical guide cut mark, then . . .

. . . dry-fitting the first, top circle unit so that the center

top curved edge is centered at the top guide mark,

and the point is just above the brad cut circle.

This is where the circle unit will be attached.

But first the palm decorations will be attached.

8. Here is an illustration of how the palm fronds were

intended to be positioned, with arch directed downward,

and stems crossed. (The sample was completed as 

a different variation from this.)

The crossing intersection should be centered

and placed approx. .625" or .5" below panel's upper edge.

9. Position and attach fronds, then . . .

. . . re-position top center circle unit, and attach it in place.

10. Locate the side edge guide marks, then 

position the side circle units centered horizontally

at marks, with points just beyond punch hole,

and attach each circle unit in place.

11. Position and attach the center bottom unit in

 similar manner, below punch hole, centered vertically 

on panel front.

12. Once this last lower center circle is secured in place

turn the panel face down, use a pointed tool such as

this awl to carefully transfer the lower punch hole

through the circle unit on the front. Then . . .

. . . position and secure the final circle unit at 

panel bottom, centered at mark, with point just below 

the newly-punched hole in circle unit just above it

as can be seen in this image.

13. Insert decorative brads through both punch holes

and bend prongs back (or use studs affixed in place).

14. Fold the card base at vertical center perf line.

15. Position and attach front panel assembly

on base front, with narrow offset margin all around.

16. Position and attach the welded words for

"He Is Risen!" phrase, or other selection from

companion phrase designs.

One way to accomplish this is to use the retained

cut out panel, centered and parallel to card bottom edge

in desired place, then lightly marking strategic lower

edge portions, removing guide stencil, then . . .

. . . positioning and attaching each word.

Here is the completed card.

Easter Flourish Card Peace Lilie

Celebrate the Easter season message with this elegant flourish 

5x7 top-fold card with dimensional left and right tipping lilies. 

Leaf and vine flourishes are cut out of front accent card panel 

with subtle sunrise at center top. 

Second front panel layer includes “PEACE” stencil cutout. 

“Easter” script word cut out is layered over stencil cutouts. 

Third front panel provides contrast to show through stencil letters. 

A rolled lily with leaf is placed on diagonal 

attached at each upper corner. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A card base with horizontal center perforation

B front rounded corner "contrast" panel no. 3

C front accent panel no. 2 with stencil-cut PEACE

D flourish edge front panel no. 1

E "Easter" word cutout

For following lily dimensional bloom shapes,

F-I shapes will be cut as one left set, one right set

(right set shown)

F lily petal shape   G sepal base cone

H stamen accent   I leaf accent

2. Position and attach the panel layers in order,

with narrow offsets all around, except that flourish layer

should be positioned with side and top edges offset with

even margin (bottom edges fall slightly above same margin width.

Here, the flourish/panel no. 2 layered assemblies

are positioned and attached onto panel no. 3, and . . .

. . . finally the front panel three-layer assembly is

positioned and attached to the "front" panel of

the base shape, folded in half at perforation line.

3. Position and attach the "Easter" word cutout,

roughly centered, overlapping the stencil word slightly.

4. Prepare the lily petal by using a very narrow rod-shaped

tool such as this needlework hook handle/shaft to

A) add forward curl to the broad part of the petal, and . . .

. . . B) tightly curl, then roll the narrow end of petal,

curling inward until the bottom notch is reached.

C) unroll, then re-roll in a more upright, vertical position

spiral (shown by the position of the rolling rod, here)

to form the whorl of the blossoming lily.

5. Remove the rod, then continue to work the spiral roll

so that it is as tightly rolled as possible at the bottom tip . . .

. . . with whorl approaching the same tangent as petal tip.

To assist in maintaining this configuration,

add a discrete dab of quick-grab clear adhesive

at the base of the spiral.

6. Prepare the sepal "cone" shape by curling in a pivoting

manner, working the rod tool from bottom center tip

 in a fanning motion to begin the suggestion of cone shape.

NOTE the textured cardstock used for the sample flowers

separated into two "ply's" and only top ply was used

to complete the lily.

7. Add a dab of clear quick-grab adhesive to the tip of lily spiral, 

then position the cone with arched edge upward,

so that the lead edge will fall along blossom center back.

Continue to roll cone around the tip, and glue the cone in position 

as it is wrapped around to back, then . . .

. . . overlap at back.

Trim excess cone neatly along back, and smooth

edge into place as necessary.

8. Add a dab of quick-grab glue to the bottom tip of

stamen strip, then insert into the whorl spiral center

inside the blossom, push downward until top tip is

in desired position, then hold in place until secured.

9. Apply glue along the back "spine" of blossom assembly,

then position and attach along the lower inward edge

of leaf accent, as shown.

Here is the completed right blossom.

(Left blossom is created as mirror image.)

10. Position and attach lilies in place into card's

front panel, roughly in the positions shown.

Here is the completed card.

Easter Egg Pop Can Tabs Card

 Create a unique Easter "hollow" egg card with

pop can tab window edge and ribbon decoration

that brings to mind the scenic sugar eggs of past holidays.

Card measures approx. 5x7 when the hinged back is closed

in place. Aluminum tabs are laced in place with soft twine

perle cotton or 6-ply floss, using a blunt needle inserted

through the inner and outer series of needle holes.

Here the card is shown with a special,

coordinated insert that peeks through the window

to express "happy Easter" with layered grassy bottom accent.
(Find the assembly steps for the "Happy Easter Grass" plaque
beginning in step 26.)

ASSEMBLY:  1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A card "base" front   B card "base" back (jointed)
C egg front    D  "icing" accent shape
E top "banner" tag (for personalization)
NOT SHOWN: plain interior sentiment plaque

2. Position and attach the "icing" accent ring

on the front of the egg card front, taking care

to line up each of the many needle holes

for lacing the tabs in place.

NOTE: it may be helpful to use a narrow pointed

tool such as an awl or large needle to push

into the holes in strategic places to make sure

holes line up exactly before glue cures completely.

3. Prepare for the lacing steps by cutting

two 30" lengths of selected lacing materials

(no. 5 perle cotton shown here; soft baker's twine,

6-ply embroidery floss, or crochet cotton 

are other good choices). You will also need

a blunt tapestry needle or darning needle

that is the smallest size that will accept

your "thread" through its eye.

Check to make sure it will travel through

needle holes easily.

4. Collect and prepare 18 aluminum "pop can"
pull tabs, and make sure that the "break"
is uniform on all, and that any sharp edges are
bent flat, filed or removed.
5. Position the first tab at the center bottom position.
NOTE: the tabs can be held in position until
the first lacing stitches secure them in place.
OR, as is suggested by this image, a little
quick-grab "invisible" glue can be used to
"tack" them in place as the assembly progresses.

NOTE that each tab, when positioned correctly,
should be "between" the needle punch holes . . .

 

. . . that are configured "around" each tab pair position,

which can be more easily seen in this illustration.

NOTE how each of the irregular "scallops" of

the "icing" accent shape indicate where a tab

should be placed.

6. Thread one length onto the needle.

Position the tail end on the backside below 

the bottom holes sequence for the center bottom tab, 

and anchor in place with a small piece of cello tape.

7. Begin the first stitch by pushing the needle

through to the front on the right side inner holes row

on the INSIDE of the tab.

(ONLY the right stitch is completed now;

see step 13 for the final, left side stitch.)

8. Complete the first stitch by moving the needle

across the tab structure to the hole immediately

to the right of the first hole just exited

and inserting into the hole, pulling the thread

through completely to the back.

The "stitch" just completed should lace

the tab in place.

9. Position the next tab to the right, "centered"
over the holes assigned to it.
Insert the needle into the inner row hole
on the left INSIDE position . . .

. . . and pull the thread completely through
to the front.
10. Complete the left side lacing stitch by
inserting the needle into the "shared" hole
that is between the first and second tabs.
NOTE that this sharing of the needle holes
between the tabs will happen all around the
INNER row of lacing stitches.

11. Complete the right side lacing stitch

in similar fashion, inserting the needle into

the right inner hole, pull thread through,

then insert into the hole across the tab structure

and pull thread through to the back side.

Here is a closeup of the first stitches.

12. Continue to add a new tab, stitch in place
with left and then right stitches, sharing the hole
between the tabs when two adjacent tabs are
laced in place, etc., until all 18 tabs are in place.
NOTE that only the inner stitching is completed.
13. Complete the left side stitch of the FIRST
tab to complete the inner lacing row.

14. Clip excess thread leaving a short tail,

then anchor the tail in place with a small

piece of cello tape.

15. Cut a 36" length of silk-style ribbon 

(1/2" wide or so), and thread it down-up through

the center bottom slots. Pull through to center

the length evenly on each side.

16. Lace one side, then the other (left shown here,

with ribbon threaded through a large eye needle)

by taking ribbon OVER the left side tab structure,

then UNDER the adjacent tab structure and UP

through the inner center opening, then OVER/UNDER

in sequence all around the left side until the ribbon

comes UP through the center of the TOP MIDDLE tab.

17. Repeat the process of ribbon lacing for the

right half (in mirror image), going OVER the tab

structure of the bottom tab, then UNDER

the adjacent tab, then continuing OVER/UNDER

until all tabs are laced and the ribbon exits

at the center of the top middle tab.

(NOTE that the ribbon ends will eventually be

tied into a knot and bow; it can be done now

but the outer lacing row may cause it to

become un-tied.)

18. Prepare the second length of lacing thread

by threading needle, anchoring tail end

at top of the egg backside, above the outer ring of

needle holes near center.

19. Insert and push the needle through on one side

of the top center tab, cross the tab structure

to insert down through adjacent hole and

through to backside to complete first stitch.

Continue the same lacing process
as was used for the INNER lacing row,
except that the outer row does not share
holes between tabs EXCEPT . . .

. . . for the three tabs at the mid sides, shown here.

20. When lacing of the outer row is complete,

trim excess thread leaving a short tail,

anchor on the backside with cello tape as before.

21. Tie the ribbon bow, trim excess ends.

22. Position and attach the egg assembly

onto the card base FRONT, matching the inner

window scallop edges exactly.

Use appropriate adhesive for the added weight

from the tabs.

23. Position the sentiment plaque on the
inside of the card back base
using the cut guide marks.
(OR, assemble and position the coordinated
"Happy Easter Grass" plaque design
as described beginning in step 26).

24. Position the card front assembly over the

card back base (shown here without the interior plaque),

with outer edges aligned, and attach the upper portion ONLY

above the dashed line.

25. Add the personalization banner

with embellishments.

This completes the card.

HAPPY EASTER GRASS PLAQUE
This design is specially designed
to coordinate as the accent insert
for the hollow Easter egg card.
It can also be used as a postcard-style
card, with additional decoration such as
a loop of twine or ribbon, threaded through
a hand-punched hole or holes, etc.
26. Identify and cut the shapes:
plaque base with positioning guide marks
"happy" and "Easter" word cuts
grass layers (bottom to top) 1 thru 4

27. Layer the grass unit by positioning

shape no. 3 over shape no. 4

(2-4 include number ID cuts)

with bottom arc and upper "scallop" edges aligned.

Then layer no. 2, and finally no. 1 on top.

28. Position and attach "Easter" word cut

over the plaque base using the guide cut marks

(indicated by pointing finger) to align bottom edge

ends.

29. Position and attach the "happy" word cut
using the "h" bottom and "y" tail cut guide marks
to align the shape.

30. Position and attach the grass unit on the bottom

of the plaque with lower arc edges matched

and centered.

31. Position and attach the plaque onto the card
back base, then . . . 

. . . complete the card as described previously.