Christmas Impossible Cards Six

Impossible Card is the name of this style card 

which is cut in one shape and then "twisted" 

to produce the pop-up center panel. 

This collection of six designs includes:

Ribbon Tree, Santa, Laurel Wreath,

Angels Hark, Three Kings, Ornament 25 Ribbons.

 Accent panels for 'L' shaped base, 

plus two-layer "bridger" panels provide scope 

for using fun Christmas paper prints. 

Card folds flat for sending, pops up for display 

(use optional tall triangle easel to assist with standing). 

Card base measures 5x7, but center "pop up" 

will alter that flat measurement. 

Find Santa design assembly in steps 1-17;
Ribbon Tree steps 18 - 25;
Laurel Wreath steps  26-32   ;
Angels Hark 33-42  ;
Three Kings 43-49 ;
Ornament 25 Ribbons 50-56.

ASSEMBLY: NOTE - Some steps in the assembly
of this impossible card set are identical.
These will be shown with the Santa design,
and can be referred to for with assembly of
the remaining designs in this set.
SANTA
1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A impossible card base
B reversed 'L' shaped accent shapes for base
C medallion shape with offset accent overlay (2 pr)
D pop up back base shape
E front assembly silhouette & suit "show-thru"
F beard base with contrast underlay
G fur overlay and hat overlay*
(*E top portion can take place of G hat)
H star tassel button (4)
I holly leaf and berry adornment for hat
J face shape (fits into E cut out)      K mustache   
L eye and contrast underlay, nose circles

2. Prepare the card base as follows

(images from a Halloween card design):

A) bend along the horizontal center perforation lines

by folding the pop-up center in the top half

downward, creasing along the perforation.

B) grab the X-marked corner shown in the image above

and rotate it downward and backward until

the X corner is at the back of the card base

and the left reversed L portion is face down.

C) card base configuration will now be as shown here

with FRONT of card showing wide arm at right

and narrow arm at left.

D) center pop up portion will extend upward as shown.

3. Position and attach the reversed 'L' offset

overlay accents onto the appropriate face panels

of the base.

4. Position the medallion accents onto the front

of the medallion bases with offset margin all around,

and glue in place.

5. Align the front bottom of the card base edges

along a grid line on a cutting mat, or use 

a straight edge like the ruler shown,

(to keep the edges straight until formation is

locked in when medallions are attached).

6. Position the medallion, centered across the space, 

from top to bottom of the front half of card,

and attach the side edge portions where

they overlap.

7. Position and attach the back whole silhouette

shape on the backside of the pop up panel,

with edges carefully matched where they line up.

8. Position and attach the front silhouette (shows

thru as Santa suit at bottom, and optionally

as Santa hat at top) over the front side of

the pop up panel.

9. Position and attach the face cutout into the recess

"window" of the front silhouette shape.

NOTE: we applied some "blush" inking at cheeks

with a pinky tip.

10. Layer the contrast show thru shape

behind the beard shape, and glue in place.

11. Position and attach the hat fur shape on top

of the beard assembly where the edges line up.

12. Position and attach the eye contrast 

(highlights show-thru) in the eye cutouts of face, 

then stack the eye fronts on top

of contrast circles and glue in place; 

position and glue nose circle.

13. Position and attach the beard assembly over 

the pop up assembly where edges match.

14. Stack the tassel button stars and attach together

(flatten under a heavy weight while drying)

tie twine knot and bow.

15. Position and attach: hat shape over silhouette;

star button at top of hat; holly/berry unit on fur at side.

16. If using the easel, prepare by bending back on 

vertical perforation line, and bend bottom tab forward.

17. Apply glue to underside of bottom tab,
then position behind pop up portion of card,
*adjust to make sure it is a tiny bit behind pop up
perforation so that pop up can lean back slightly
for easel to do its job, then glue in place.
NOTE: when the card needs to be flat,
un-bend the tall triangle easel to flat position
then tip/lay down opposite the attached tab.
(*Make sure easel is moved toward card center
far enough so that when flat, tip does NOT
extend beyond card edge.)

Here is the completed card.

RIBBON TREE

18. Identify and cut the shapes:

A card base    B base accent overlays

C medallion base with accent overlays (2 pr)

D back shape

E front tree build-upon silhouette with

ribbon strata shapes, star (2), trunk

F christmas word cuts (2) and 2 end stars

G word cut base and positioning guide

NOT SHOWN: easel stand

19. Prepare the base with 'L' accents, layered

medallions as shown for the Santa card,

steps 2-6 above.

Position and attach the strata shapes

and trunk shapes on the front tree base.

NOTE: it will be easier to do this beginning

with top shape and working down, centering

tip shape the offset margin in on three sides,

then positioning next lower shape with

"intersection" shapes abutting, offset margin

at edge, etc.

20. Add star to top of tree.

21. Position and attach front tree assembly

to the pop up base panel of the card base,

taking care to align edges that should match up.

22. Position and attach the christmas word cuts

over the corresponding portions of the base arch.

Also attach the end stars.

23. Apply adhesive at center face of arch, then . . . 

. . . position arch, centered, behind tree, adjusting

up or down to best position where the end stars

may overlap tree edges just enough to be attached.

24. Position and attach back tree shape onto

backside of tree. NOTE: this image was staged

and shot prematurely - the word arch should be

in place at this point (and visible in this shot

as seen from the backside).

25. Position the easel (recommended for this

tree design), positioned as well as possible

behind trunk and up center of tree.

Here is the completed card.

LAUREL WREATH

26. Identify and cut the shapes.

Take care to keep the laurel oval leaf shapes

in order as they are cut 1 thru 10, since some

need to be placed in specific positions, as well

as in the order that you have decided

(we used 5 papers, alternating the order 1 thru 5

twice as the circuit was made - with two shapes

being cut from each of the 5 green card stock sheets).

27. Prepare the base with 'L' accents, layered

medallions as shown for the Santa card,

steps 2-6 above.

28. Arrange the laurel leaves in order,

with #1 with ribbon hole punches at top for reference.

For leaves #5-7, fold forward on the perforation lines.

Position and attach #1 onto the build-on wreath base

where punch holes

and some edges align, but keep the right-hand

curved edge unattached until leaf #10 is

positioned, so that it can tuck under #1.

Continue to position and attach each successful leaf
in order, overlapping the previously-placed leaf,
and matching up edges that align.
For #5, position as shown, then . . . 

. . . check that the fold perforation line matches up

the bottom of the build-on base edge exactly.

Then attach the upper portion to base.

Continue positioning and attaching, until #10 leaf

is positioned, which is tucked under the un-attached

edge of #1, and otherwise aligned and attached.

Glue the loose edge of #1 in place.

29. Position and attach the berry circles as desired,

one per leaf, or as preferred.

30. Position the front wreath assembly onto

the base pop up panel, with bottom leaves folded

slightly upward to be out of the way, then attach

so that edges that match up align.

31. Position and attach the back wreath shape

behind the pop up panel, so that the wreath

has an appropriate appearance from back view.

32. Thread ribbon through the punch holes

and tie knot and bow. 

Also position and attach the optional easel stand.

ANGELS HARK!

33. Identify and cut the shapes:

A card base

B base accent shapes   

C medallion base and accents (2 pr)

D easel stand   E angels base build-on silhouette

F HARK! welded word cut

G angel overlay base layer (shows as lower sleeve)

H angel top layer with contrast underlays

I accent shapes: face/head; hair; 

lower wing/base; upper wing' trumpet

J positioning guide for stars (cut from waste)

K clear vinyl arch (holds stars)

L stars and dot circles

34. Prepare the base with 'L' accents, layered

medallions as shown for the Santa card,

steps 2-6 above.

35. Position the angels base shapes onto

the build-upon silhouette with narrow margin around.

Position the contrast underlay shapes behind

the angel front shapes so that flourish is "filled".

Position hair onto head/face base.

NOT SHOWN: position upper wing onto wing base.

36. Position and attach angel top layer over
base assembly, leaving "hand" nub unattached
so that . . . 

. . . horns can be positioned under the hand; 

attach horns and hands in place.

37. Position head/hair shapes over assembly

and attach in place. Position wings assembly

over base assembly and attach, 

completing the angel assembly. 

38. Position the angels assembly over the pop up

panel on card base assembly, matching those portions

of each that align, and attach.

39. Position and attach the word cut where
the pop up base shows.

40. To use the stars/dots positioning guide,

position the clear vinyl arch on top of the guide,

with bottom side "leg" portions matched up,

and hold in place with dab of glue or temp tape, etc.

Use cutouts behind to position and attach each

star or dot shape to arch where tips overlap.

NOTE: use a quick grab glue such as Fabri-Tack

that will securely hold paper to vinyl.

Once all are attached, carefully remove arch.

40. Position the stars arch behind the pop up panel . . . 

. . . so that the bottom/side legs line up with
edges of perf lines of the pop up panel base shape,
and glue in place the portions that overlap.

41. Position and attach the back angels base

shape, sandwiching the arch "legs" between.

42. Position and attach the prepared easel stand

where it will not show through the arch "window".

Here is the completed card.

THREE KINGS

43. Identify and cut the shapes as shown.

44. Prepare the base with 'L' accents, layered

medallions as shown for the Santa card,

steps 2-6 above.

45. Assemble each of the three kings (two shorter

side, taller center) in the same manner.

A) Center and attach crown base strip along bottom

of crown shape; center and attach robe contrast 

over robe base (bottom left); center and attach 

beard over face shape (bottom right).

B) Center head/beard over robe unit,

top edges aligned.

46. Position side king units (without crown units)

on side areas of card base pop up where shaped

edges show they should align.

Position and attach crowns above.

47. Position and attach center king in place, then

attach crown unit.

48. Position and attach the back pop up shape

behind the kings assembly.

49. Position and attach the easel stand.

Here is the completed card.

ORNAMENT 25 RIBBONS

50. Identify and cut the shapes:

A card base   B accent shapes for base

C easel stand   D medallion and accent (2 pr)

E ornament base shape

(shown below this is the optional back pop up shapes)

F center of ornament

G ornmt badge "ring", circle, "25" numbers, hanger

H ribbon base with contrast overlays 

I holly leaves: top l & r pair; lower l & r pair

with lower half overlays

51. Assemble the elements:

position and attach ribbon overlay on top of base;

center and position ornmt middle, badge ring,

circle and '25' on top of base; hanger at top.

52. Prepare the base with 'L' accents, layered

medallions as shown for the Santa card,

steps 2-6 above.

53. Position and attach the ribbon assembly 

onto the pop up panel at top where edges match up.

Position and attach the top holly leaves over ribbon.

Position and attach the ornmt assembly centered.

54. Attach the lower half holly accent onto the
lower leaf bases.
Position and attach holly leaves l & r on top
of ornament assembly as shown.

55. Position and attach optional back ornament

shape over back of pop up base.

56. Position and attach easel stand.

Here is the completed card.