DIY Pop-Up Pumpkin Greeting Card Craft For Halloween

DIY Pop Up Cards With Cricut

Making cards during the Fall and holiday season is the number one most popular craft to create, especially with a cutting machine such as Cricut! In this tutorial, I am teaching you how to make a pop-up pumpkin card with an optional black kitten element and fall leaves. The front of the card has a sweet little pumpkin shape for a final touch. 

This adorable kitty pumpkin pop-up card is perfect for Fall and Thanksgiving, a happy Halloween card, or just a fun birthday card to make! Handmade pop-up cards are easier to make than they look. Keep reading for a full step-by-step guide and video tutorial.

Supply List

• Cardstock paper. My favorite resource is the 12×12 Cardstock Shop. 
• A cutting machine. Any of the full-size Cricut machines will work. I am using my Cricut Maker 3, but the Venture and Explore models can work, too!
• Craft glue. I used the Bearly Art glue, which dries clear and works well with any papercraft projects. 
• Scoring wheel or scoring stylus to use with your Cricut machine. 
• Brayer tool

How To Make A Pumpkin Pop-Up Card With Cricut Step-by-Step Video Tutorial

Pop-up cards look difficult to make, but they are quite simple, just a lot of steps. To get the most comprehensive tutorial, click play on the video below. 

You can also keep reading for a high-level overview tutorial.

Note: I HIGHLY recommend watching the video as it will be the clear visual guide for building your pop-up card. 

More Fall Paper Crafts You Will Love

• Gift boxes
• 3D paper pumpkin craft (free SVG)
• Fall candle wraps (free SVG)
• Paper zinnias
• Paper marigolds

Design Space Set Up

1. Join or log into the Abbi Kirsten Craft Vault to download this kitty pumpkin pop-up card design. 
2. Import the pop-up card SVG file into Cricut Design Space. Read a full step-by-step tutorial on how to upload your own SVG files to Cricut.
3. I do not recommend scaling this card down, but you could scale it up a little if you have a large mat like the 12 x 24-inch mat.  

4. Ungroup the file and select the lines to change the Operation to Score – see the video for more details. 
5. Select both the base and scorelines and use the Attach tool at the bottom of the Layers Panel to hold the scorelines in place. 
6. Click on the Make It button and select the material, which, for me, is medium-weight cardstock.

7. Load your cardstock onto the cutting mat and get each layer cut out. 
8. Cricut will prompt you to load your scoring wheel or stylus for the mats that have the scorelines attached. 

Pumpkin Pop-up Card Assembly

1. Start by building the pumpkin. Grab the two main pumpkin pieces and thread them through the open slots in the middle. 
2. Add on the additional larger pumpkin pieces that do NOT have the tabs on the ends.
   

3. Once those have been slid into the grooves, move on to adding the pumpkin pieces with the tabs on the end. Note: Make sure these tabs are on opposite sides of each other on the pumpkin. See the video here for the details. 
4. At this point, the four smaller pumpkin cuts are remaining. Slide each one of those on all four sides of the pumpkin. You will need to slide the center together first, then tuck each end around the other so it interlocks. Again, watch the video for a complete close-up.

Inserting The Pumpkin Into The Card

1. Now that we have our pumpkin, pick it up and open and close it a couple of times to make sure things are working properly. 
2. Grab the green base piece, push the tabs through the slots, and secure with glue. 
3. The pumpkin will now open and close with this base piece. Glue the green base piece with the pumpkin to the card, paying attention to the score line so it folds down the center. 

Adding Your Kitty Cat and Leaves

1. Lastly, glue the layers of the kitten’s face together, prepping it to add to the card. 
2. Slide the backside of the kitty in between the honeycomb slots we created with the pumpkin and secure it with glue. 
3. Slide the kitty’s face in front and secure it with glue along with the cat’s paws. 
4. Finally, glue the leaves around the base of the pumpkin and add in some of the pumpkin green vines. 
5. Write a message inside of the card and enjoy!

What about envelopes? 

For handmade pop-up cards, envelopes can pose a challenge at times. It is not uncommon for some edges of the pop-up elements to slightly stick out of the card. I like to use a pretty ribbon or twine to tie the card shut like a gift, then slide it into the top of my gift bag or box for the recipient to open!