Needles 'n' Knowledge: Tulips Bouquet Pop Out Card

Classic plaque medallion shape expresses

"Specially for You" over an oval inner plaque,

pointed-end swoosh banner and tiny heart.

Single tulip stem hints about what will pop forward

once the bottom of the card is lifted:

a bouquet of nine tulips spilling from a slat-front,

ribbon-tied crate. Five bridges built into

the interior insert provide mounting for crate and stems.

Message plaque that echoes the card's closed shape

can be mounted in front of crate.

Tie narrow ribbon or twine through double punch holes

in front and back card bottom end as closure mechanism.

Measures approx. 5" x 7" when closed, 5.5" tall when open.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
(not shown) banner alignment guide
A & B card front and back base shapes
C front accent shape D front oval accent
E "Specially" word cut with extra 'S',
double-stick 'S' for glitter-izing
F front tulip stem (not shown: two-part bloom)
G banner, "for" and "you" word cuts, heart silhouette
H interior accent shape with incorporated "bridges"
I message plaque shape for interior
J crate and contrast base
K three-part bow for crate
L center unit tulip stems and heads
N right unit stems and heads
M left unit stems and heads

2. Prepare the card base front by bending

forward on the upper perforation line.

3. Position and attach the front upper section

to the corresponding part of the back base,

attaching the shapes back to back.

4. Prepare the front accent panel by bending

forward at perforation line.

Then position, offset, over the card front base

with perforation lines matched, and attach.

5. Position the front oval accent, centered,
on the front card assembly, with the top edge
at the perforation line, and attach in place.

6. Position the banner (shown here with

accent studs in place at punch holes)

over the front oval accent, using

the positioning guide cut shape aligned

at oval top, to assist. Also take care

that the side end points are close but NOT

beyond card edges, and equal-distant.

7. If desired, prepare a contrast or
glitter-ized 'S' accent for the 'Specially'
word cut. Remove the backing from
the double-stick paper shape. Then . . .

. . . carefully position the double-stick
unit over the front of the paper 'S' shape.

Peel away the top liner, leaving the sticky

shape in place. then . . .

. . . apply the glitter, and remove excess.

8. Position and attach the accent 'S' shape

over the word cut.

9. Complete the card front decoration by

positioning and attaching the prepared

tulip stem with two-part bloom (see step 14),

and positioning and attaching

the 'Specially' word cut unit.

10. Position and attach the individual word cuts

over the heart base shape, then . . .

. . . position and attach to card front.

11. Prepare the interior accent panel so that

the bridges will "pop" forward appropriately

to provide glue-to surfaces for the bouquet components.

For better visibility, a kraft accent shape will be

used here to demonstrate:

A) flex the shape and bend/curl slightly forward

to allow fingertips to press inward front backside

to bend and crease perforations at top of OUTTER

(combination) bridge upper edges, top perf line

as valley fold and second perf line as mountain fold.

B) Also bend the center shorter bridge top two

perf lines in similar manner.

C) At the bottom of the bridges, and at the

panel center folds, bend the perf lines as valley folds.

D) As the bridge formation develops into

appropriate front/back bends, continue to ease

the bridges into their final shapes, bending

the upper "mountain folds" toward top of panel

and adding pressure at the crease lines . . .

. . . until the panel can be carefully folded in half
the initial time with all perf lines directed accurately.

Apply pressure along all the creases . . .

. . . including

those that can be accessed from the back side.

This is how the bridges should be configured

when the creases has been prepared properly.

Position and attach the bridge on the interior

of the card base assembly, with offset margin

at sides, and with insert center perforations

of insert lined up at front/back seam perforation.

Test the card by closing and opening to make

sure that folds will function properly,

and applying pressure along the bridge folds

as needed to achieve flatness.

NOTE: make sure that small, non-bridge areas between

mid and side bridges at bottom are glued in place,

as well as dropped margin of top center bridge.

12. Prepare the crate and ribbon bow shapes . . .

. . . by layering and attaching together . . .

. . . with bow assembly over crate face as shown.

13. For extra strength, consider double cutting

and layering each of the stem shapes.

14. Prepare the large 3-part blossoms

and the smaller 2-part blossoms . . .

. . . by layering the teardrop shaped overlay

petals onto the appropriate bases . . .

. . . until the blossoms are complete.

There are 5 large blossoms and 5 smaller
blossoms (including the front decoration
shown here, left) in this design.

15. Position and attach each blossom
to the appropriate head base on a stem.
NOTE that the stem head outlines are
slightly smaller than the blossom units to
make positioning a little easier.