How To Make Pop-Up Cards with Recycled Greeting Cards

We made these pop-up Christmas Cards for my daughters' teachers using cards from Christmases past. Here's a how-to for this really easy craft.

First, gather your supplies: in addition to scissors and glue, you will need:

A selection of greeting cards - for images to cut out for the pop-up (you could also, of course, create your own image!)


Scrapbook paper (optional) - can be used for the inside of the card


Card stock or construction paper (approximate size 8 1/2 x 11) - to be used for the outside of the card, and for the inside, too, if not using scrapbook paper. We made them both ways!


Cut your card stock in half so you have 2 pieces approximately 4 1/4 x 5 1/2.

Fold them each in half.


Cut 2 slits about an inch long each and about an inch apart on one of the cards.


Fold the paper between the slits to one side and crease.


Open the card and push the folded piece through to the other side.


Now you have a nice little box to attach your artwork to!


Glue the card with the pop-up box to the inside of the uncut card.


Decorate the inside of the card. Be sure when gluing to the pop-up not to extend the artwork past the bottom of the square.


Decorate the outside of the card (you can do this before gluing the 2 pieces together). We put our art "upside down" so that when the card sits open on the teachers' desk the outside artwork would actually be "right side up". My 8-year-old put a collage on the outside of her card.


My 3-year-old drew "pictures" :)