Cup Pop Up Card Tutorial

How to make a coffee or tea cup pop up card





Click to download file set: Silhouette Studio, PDF, DXF, SVG (how to use my SVG files in Cricut Design Space).

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You may also find these directions helpful if you are assembling the mug or cup pop up from the Cricut Everyday Pop Up Cards cartridge.




Cut out all pieces.

I used two colors of cardstock: a marbled beige for the cup and dark brown for the coffee.
The large rectangle is the cup. The large circle is the saucer.



The joined arcs are the cup handle. The smaller circle with legs is the contents of your cup--the coffee. The last piece is the inside prop that holds up the "coffee".



Assembly is similar to a pop up cake with a center post.

Assemble the coffee

Establish creases in the prop as shown by red lines.
Spread glue on the prop except on the bottom tabs. Fold the prop along the center vertical line, gluing it into a double thick piece. Allow to dry completely. Damp paper is weak paper!



Crease the center fold and legs of the "coffee".

Fold in the wings on the top, notched, part of the prop and slide the top through the center slot of the coffee circle. Unfold the wings.



Glue coffee to saucer

Measure along center fold line of saucer and mark 1 + 3/8" from each edge. The marks should be 2" apart.

Spread glue on bottom tabs of prop. Glue to saucer, lining up side points of tabs with the marks you made, and fold line of prop with fold line of saucer.



Fold the saucer in half, closing it around the prop and pushing the prop firmly into the crease of the saucer. Weigh down and let dry.

Open the saucer and slide the feet of the coffee through the slots of the saucer. Position the bend of the leg right at the slot. Glue or tape legs to the underside of the saucer.



Attach cup to coffee

Apply double sided tape to upright legs of coffee and one short end of cup piece.

Affix cup rectangle to one coffee upright (leg). Wrap cup around coffee and overlap cup ends until you are satisfied that the size is right. You want the cup to be a little bigger in diameter than the coffee. Press the overlap together to affix.



Check that the coffee is centered in the cup and press the cup onto the tape of the second upright.

Carefully fold the saucer shut. As you fold, the cup will "find its own folds." Once the cup has folded in half evenly, crease the side folds with your fingers. With the cup collapsed, press down and run your hand over the whole piece to make sure the tape on the uprights has stuck well to the cup.

Fold the handle closed and glue together, leaving tabs free.

Finish

Fold handle at center fold line and glue the halves together, leaving the curved ends unglued.

Glue handle to cup.



Create steam, or a greeting, and glue it to the tab of the prop which is protruding through the top of the coffee.



Glue into base card by aligning saucer fold with center fold of card.


Extreme Cards and Papercrafting: pop up cards, movable and mechanical cards, digital crafts and unusual papercrafts.