Friday's Tutorial - How to Make Diorama Card

Diorama cards are super easy 3-D cards that you can embellish any way that you like. To your card front, you can add die cuts, stamped images, stickers, flowers, buttons, brads, ribbon, you name it! You can use patterned or plain cardstock, stamp a background or emboss your cardstock for a textured look. There's no limit to your creativity! Just remember, if you are going to mail your diorama card, make sure it flattens properly.

Today's instructions are for a birthday diorama card embellished with Cricut die cuts but you can easily alter your card to suit any occasion.

Supplies used:

DCWV The Whimsy Paper Stack
Cricut Celebrations Cartridge
DCWV Plain Cardstock
Cricut Spatula Tool
Cricut Expression
Paper Cutter and Scorer
Terrifically Tacky Tape
Cuttlebug Emboss Swiss Dots & Happy Birthday folder
Zig 2 Way Glue Pen Chisel Tip
1 3/8" and 1 1/4" Circle Punch
3D Dots Adhesive Foam 1/8" Circles
Big Shot
Cricut 12x12 Cutting Mat


Instructions:

1. Cut and score your cardstock as follows. Front cover (peach) and back cover (green) are both cut at 8 1/2" x 3" and scored at 2" and 6 1/2". Center/inside (Striped from DCWV The Whimsy Paper Stack) Cut at 6 1/2" x 3" and scored at 1" and 5 1/2".

2. Emboss front cover using Big Shot and Cuttlebug Emboss Happy Birthday folder.

3. For the front cover, use the 1 3/8" circle punch. Hold punch upside down and line up the right side of the punch with the right score mark. Cardstock should be at the bottom of the punch. Punch circle. Repeat on left side. Next punch just between the circles to create one opening.






4. For the striped center layer, repeat the steps above using a 1 1/4" circle punch. Again, create a continuous opening.

5. For my embellishments, I used the Cricut Expression along with the Cricut Celebrations cartridge to create a few embellishments and the inside sentiment, "celebrate" (a shadow cut at 1"). The blue balloons were cut at 1 3/4" in border mode. The border mode give you 4 balloons but I trimmed off the 4th balloon for this project. For the strings, I cut the balloons at 4" in order to get the strings a little wider. I trimmed off the balloons. By the way, the Cricut spatula comes in handy for lifting delicate dies off the Cricut mat. I glued the strings to the blue balloon with the excess string at the top, trimmed off the excess string and then layered the yellow balloon die cuts on top using a Zig 2 Way Glue Pen. I created that layer by cutting the balloon at 1 3/4" and adding the "shift" key. The last embellishment is a little gift cut at 1 1/2". Using a Cuttlebug Swiss Dot folder, I ran the gift die cut though the Big Shot adding texture to the gift. Don't you think the Swiss Dots are a nice touch? The green bow was also cut at 1 1/2" adding the shift key. Again, the Zig 2 Way Glue Pen comes in handy gluing these tiny parts. To the backs of these embellishments, I added 3D Dots 1/8" Circles so they pop off the card front.

6. Next, add sticky tape to the edges of the center/inside layer and front cover as shown.


7. Before adhering the cardstock together, lay the center/inside layer over the back cover. Line up your score lines and make sure your sentiment is evenly centered. Adhere sentiment.


8. Peel backing from sticky tape. With sentiment facing you, fold scored sides of back cover in towards you. Fold both scored ends of center/inside layer away from you.

9. Complete card assembly. Embellish card front. This card requires a small open ended envelope that measures 6 3/4" x 3 1/2".


I hope you enjoyed my first tutorial with the DCRU DT! If you make a diorama card, please link it here so we can admire your work!! We'd love to see what you've created.

Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by the DCRU DT blog!! Hope you'll join us in our weekly challenges. We have a new one every Tuesday.

Cheers!
Cara