Truck Loads of Luck Shaped 5x7 Card

Vintage pickup truck composed of five layered cuts 

carries a payload of shamrocks in fence railed bed. 

Three welded word cuts arch above truck hull to 

spell out the sentiment “Loads of Luck”. 

Card back has perforation near top to allow it to 

bend outward to create self stand, 

reveal a plaque message space attached 

either to inside back or front of card. 

Measures approx. 5x7 when closed. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A card base front   B card base back (with perforation)
C truck base 1   D truck base 2
E truck base 3 with contrast panel inset cutout
F truck bed layer 4
G bumper (layer 5)    H door
I Loads of Luck word cuts
J separate shamrocks (5 varied shapes)
K shamrocks base (2 shamrocks show thru)
L contrast inset for shape 'E' above
M hub cap circles (4)
N wheel "rim" circles (2)
O wheel base circles (2)
P fence rails (2)
Q fence rail base
R sentiment plaque

2. Prepare the shamrock assembly unit by

positioning the separate shamrocks in clockwise

direction, beginning at upper left, onto the portions

of the base shape where they will match cut edges.

Here, the first shamrock is being positioned.

Here the second shamrock has been placed,
and third is being placed.

Here the fourth is placed, and the fifth . . .

. . . will be placed directly left of it.
Two of the shamrocks will "show thru" from base.
NOTE: If using liquid adhesive, consider pressing
the assembly under a flat weight during the drying process
to help avoid curling or warping of the unit.
(Press any shapes that are glued up, as 
each step of the assembly progresses.)

3. Assemble the pair of wheel bases by

positioning and attaching the "rim" rings onto

the bases.

4. Prepare the hub cab shapes by stacking

two circles and gluing together.

5. Position and attach the hub cab shapes into
the rim recess, to complete two wheels.

6. Prepare the truck hull by layering and attaching

the identical two bottom 'base' shapes, taking

care that all edges align.

7. Position the third layer hull on top of the previous

hull stack, matching edges, and glue in place.

8. Position and attach the contrast inset panel

in the recess.

9. Position and attach the truck bed layer 4

on previous assembly, aligning matching cut edges

as precisely as possible.

11. Position and attach the bumper layer at
 bottom of previous hull assembly, and also
position and attach the door overlay at center top
where cut edges will match up.

12. Prepare the fence unit by positioning and

attaching the rails on top of the fence base.

13. Begin the final assembly on the front card base

by positioning the shamrock unit where the upper left

edges line up exactly (no offset at edge).

14. Position and attach the truck hull where the edges

match up with card base offset edges.

15. Position and attach the fence above the bed area
and wheel units under the fender arches.

16. Position and attach the word cuts where they
fit at upper left offset edges.

17. Prepare the card back base by bending

the upper panel forward at perforation line.

18. Reverse the back base so that it is face down.
Apply adhesive above the perforation line
on back base backside, then position 
the card front assembly over it
so that upper portion edge align, and attach.

19. Bend the back card base away from front
to expose inside surface, then position and
attach the sentiment plaque.
NOTE: the plaque can alternately be attached
to the backside of the card base FRONT as well.

Here is the completed card.

Shamrocks Dozen Stitched A7 Card

Choose twelve favorite St. Patrick's theme 

or green paper prints, arrange in shaded order, 

then attach center creases to the front card overlay 

matching stitching holes of each. 

With needle and twine or perle cotton, stitch the shamrocks 

in place for a dimensional card like no other. 

Measures approx. 5x7 when top-fold closed. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
card base, front panel with needle holes,
12 shamrocks with center needle holes

Prior to cutting the shamrocks, it may be helpful

to collect, select and order the paper prints.

Below is the group used for the model,

graded light (left) to dark (right).

Comparing the prints to the layout above,

you can see that they were positioned roughly

from light at upper left corner to dark at lower

right corner.

2. Prepare the 12 shamrocks by bending

forward along the center perforation marks

and stitching holes.

3. Thread a 28" length of "thread" onto the finest
blunt tapestry-style needle that will accept it.
(The model uses no. 3 perle cotton. Other choices
include 6-ply embroidery floss or soft twine.)
Anchor the tail on the backside of the center panel
behind the upper left corner.

4. Apply adhesive to the backside of the first

shamrock on the ridge of the crease ONLY . . .

. . . then position it on the center panel with
the needle holes of each lined up - top hole
of shamrock at top hole of panel column,
and glue in place.

5. Insert the needle and thread up through the top

hole, push needle through completely,

and draw thread through completely,

pulling up all slack (here and throughout).

Insert the needle down into the next needle hole

in sequence to complete the first stitch.

Then repeat to complete the four stitched

contained in the shamrock.

6. Complete the in-between stitch below the first
shamrock.

7. Repeat the gluing and positioning step
for the second shamrock,
then repeat the stitching steps to attach it,
and the in-between stitch.

8. Position and stitch the third shamrock in
the first column in place in similar fashion.
9. Continue the assembly by working UP
 the next column . . . 

. . . positioning and stitching as before.

Here you can see that the thread was brought
across the space in between the first and
second columns on the backside of the card.

10. Continue to position and attach the shamrocks

in the same manner, moving across the top

to begin the third column, then across the bottom

to begin the final column.

The final stitch will take the needle and thread

to the panel backside.

11. Clip excess thread leaving a 1" tail . . .

. . . which is anchored in place with a small piece

of cellophane tape.

12. To ensure that the dimension is maintained,

pull the sides of the shamrocks upward slightly.

13. Position and attach the front panel assembly

onto the front panel of the card base,

leaving equal offset margin all around.

Here is the completed card.