How to Make a Pop-Up Valentine's Card

Begin by searching through vintage clip art for your Valentine image. If you want to replicate this card, the Valentine couple image is at www.freeprettythingsforyou.com under "vintage clip art." The doves are at www.wpclipart.com under "valentine doves 2 tone." Both images are free for downloading. Once you find an image, print it onto white card stock. Note: You will have to adjust the size. For example, scale the doves down to 65 percent and the couple image down to 75 percent of the original. Cut out images with sharp scissors or a knife and mat. Set them aside.

Join two pieces of 8 ½ by 11 cream colored cardstock with a 1 inch strip of decorative paper along the vertical edge. Simply glue the decorative paper strip over the seam of the two pieces of cardstock, joining them. Smooth out any bubbles or glue lumps with your finger or a straight edge. Allow to dry flat.

Next, punch a colorful collection of hearts with a 2 inch heart hole punch. You'll need about 10 hearts. Measure out 10 strings of butchers twine 12 inches each. Glue the tip of each string onto the back of a cut out heart and set aside to dry.

Next, make a little banner for your doves to hold. To do this, trim a ½ inch strip of decorative paper into little triangles. You can stack 2 or 3 colors to get it done quickly.

Measure out 2 strings of butchers twine 2 feet each. Using a pen, write onto the cut triangles what you want your banner to say. This one says "Be Mine Valentine". Simply attach the little triangles to the measured twine with a thin dab of white glue. Set aside to dry. Once dry, tie off ends so the banner will hang correctly when the card is opened.

Cut ½ inch strips of cream cardstock. You'll need 4-6 by ½ inch strips and 8 -1 ½ by ½ inch strips. Accordion fold the 6 inch strip from both sides 3 times so the two ends meet up in the middle. Accordion fold the 1 ½ inch strips to form a "Z".

Arrange the layout of your card without gluing anything down..

Glue two of the larger accordion folded strips onto the backside of the couple clip art and glue to the inside of your card. Glue a few of the hearts flat, a few attach with the smaller "Z" folds and two with the larger accordion fold. Drape all strings to meet under the hand of the clip art and tie off with a small piece of twine. Glue under the hand of the clip art and tie around wrist. Trim bottoms of balloon strings.