Introduction: Pop-up Pedicure Gift Card

About: I am a paper engineer, writer, maker and chemist wannabe. In addition to pop-up cards I design and build furniture, lights, costumes or whatever I happen to need at the time. Lipstick, a mixing studio, all-pur…

Everyone loves being pampered once in a while. If you want to treat a friend to a pedicure, make it memorable by handing them your gift card in this pop-up card. It’s easy to make with a few simple tools. The template, complete with cover and a pocket to hold your pedicure gift card, can be printed on a single sheet of paper.

Step 1: Materials and Tools

You will need:

  1. My design template (see step 2)
  2. A color printer
  3. A piece of light card stock.
  4. A scalpel knife, often called by the brand name Xacto knife.
  5. A self healing cutting mat is recommended, but you can also protect your table with a piece of cardboard.
  6. A scoring tool. You can buy a tool like this one, or use a knitting needle, a stylus, a ball point pen which no longer works (but be SURE there's no ink left) a piece of bone or seashell or any other sharp but not too sharp instrument which can crush your paper without piercing it.
  7. A ruler. You don't need to measure anything, but you do need to make straight score lines. I like using a metal one, in case I want to use it for cutting as well as scoring (the knife will cut a plastic ruler and ruin it)
  8. Glue. I like white glue best (this Neutral pH Adhesive, because I hate Elmer's tip which always gets clogged) but you need to have a light touch if you want to avoid making the card bumpy. Rubber cement is another option.

(Full disclosure: if you buy any of the items I linked to here, Amazon will reward me with a few pennies -- however these are all tools I use and would recommend even without the nickel)

Step 2: Print the Template

You can download the template in PDF format from my website. This template is free for the instructables community only -- everybody else pays $1.59, so make sure you use THIS LINK to get the free template.

After you download the template print it in color on light card stock. This template needs to be printed DOUBLE SIDED -- in other words, on both sides of the sheet of paper. If your printer can't do that automatically, just print the first page, flip it around and print the second page. The yellow rectangle should be behind the yellow toe separator.

Step 3: Make It Pop-Up!

Refer to the cut and fold guide to score along the dotted and dashed lines, using a ruler and pressing down with a scoring tool (see step 1).

On the nail polish side of the sheet, cut the curved side of the toe separator. Do not cut off the bottom straight edge! (photo 2)

On the foot side of the sheet, cut along the solid lines. Do not forget to cut the small notches on the toes and the toe separator. (photo 3)

Fold and glue the card on the greyed area on cut and fold guide. Do not put glue on the bottom of the window by the fold, because this area will hold your gift card.

Carefully twist and pull the toes to fit into the notches on the toe separator.

Step 4: Give It Away

As long as you only glued where indicated on the cut and fold guide, you will have a handy, credit card sized pocket to insert your gift card.

Please do note that I said "GIVE" it away -- this card is for personal, non-commercial use only. In other words, it's just for fun!

You can see my many other designs at www.makepopupcards.com

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