HEY, FRIENDS! It’s been quite a while since my last post! I hope this new post finds you well, and if it doesn’t you WILL be! This post is brought to you by a well sought after tutorial, as I myself struggled to find detailed instruction. Have you seen those super neat cards that literally JUMP out at you when you open them?! They’re so cool! If you haven’t, check out my video below! Now that I’ve learned how to make them, I can show you how to make an unforgettable DIY pop up cube (or cubes) with this detailed tutorial! You can use whatever color cardstock and customize them however you’d like! Keep reading to see what you need to make your very own pop up cube (or cubes) below!
ASH! I’M IN! WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE A DIY POP UP CUBE?!
I’m SO GLAD you asked! Some of these items are optional. I will link below two different ways to them depending on what material you already have.
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OPTION 1 MATERIALS:
DIE CUT MACHINE (I use and LOVE my Silhouette Cameo and Portrait machines. I prefer the Cameo for this project. You’ll see why in a sec.)
12″ x 12″ CARDSTOCK OF YOUR CHOICE (IT COMES IN MANY COLORS AND PATTERNS! GET CREATIVE! 8″ x 12″ WORKS TOO!)
STRONG ADHESIVE (HOT GLUE WORKS BEST)
CONFETTI (YOU CAN BUY IT, MAKE YOUR OWN BY CUTTING SMALL SHAPES -CIRCLES ARE THE EASIEST- WITH THE EXCESS SPACE ON YOUR 12″ x 12″ CARDSTOCK OR ANY OTHER SCRAP PAPER)
2″x2″ PRINTED PICTURES* TO ADD A PERSONAL TOUCH, COMPLETELY OPTIONAL! *You need up to 4 photos per cube
The first (and easiest) option is using a die cut machine (I use and LOVE my Silhouette Cameo and Portrait machines faithfully) and my downloadable cut file! Simply open the file, use your Silhouette machine to cut it and assemble with my pictorial below!
I also added videos below for the fast learners out there (keep scrolling until you see them below or watch the video on my YouTube channel). The cube’s assembly is pretty straightforward, but the videos help if you want to skip the reading.
OPTION 2 MATERIALS:
PRINTER
NTA EXCLUSIVE PRINTABLE FILE**
SMALL RUBBER BANDS
MINI PLASTIC S HOOKS OR JUMP RINGS
SCISSORS (OR EXACTO KNIFE)
PENCIL
CARDSTOCK OF YOUR CHOICE (IT COMES IN MANY COLORS AND PATTERNS! GET CREATIVE!)
STRONG ADHESIVE (HOT GLUE WORKS BEST)
CONFETTI (YOU CAN BUY IT, MAKE YOUR OWN BY CUTTING SMALL PIECES OF PAPER OR USING A HOLE PUNCH)
This option is quite tedious as it takes longer, but the outcome is still amazing!
INSTRUCTIONS:
First, download an NTA print & cut file. If you opted for the PDF printable version, simply print the PDF file (AS IS. DO NOT SCALE IT) onto a 8.5″ x 11″ page of cardstock and cut along the indicated solid lines. Make sure to print on the backside, so that the instructions do not show. The dotted lines represent lines that must be folded. Then, place small rubber bands on the labeled fold lines. Place a small “S” hook or jump ring on one rubber band and gently connect it to the other rubber band. Then glue the indicated tabs. After gluing, your pop up cube should be adhering to the tension of the rubber bands and creating a 3D cube! If it does, then CONGRATS! IT WORKED!
NTA POP UP CUBE PICTORIAL:
IF YOU LIKE THIS DIY PROJECT, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE MY DIY PARTY GARLAND POST!
THERE’S ONE MORE STEP FOR THE ULTIMATE DIY POP UP CUBE EXPERIENCE:
Now for the fun part! After you assemble as many cubes as you’d like, there’s one last thing to do so that the cubes JUMP out at the recipient! We need to make a small sliding box to stuff them in(free PDF diagrams available here). When pulled, the cubes will pop out of the box and surprise your special someone on their day! Simply print the sliding box template and use a ruler for the measurements (or purchase a cut file like this one) on the cardstock of your choice. Then cut, fold, and glue where indicated.
Once the cubes and sliding box are assembled, it’s time to test it out! Flatten one of your 3D cubes and place it inside of the box (video above for reference). (Make sure to hold it down or else it will pop up before you get them all inside!) Next, place some of your confetti on top of the flattened cube. Repeat until all of your cubes are stacked atop one another. Carefully slip the top box cover around the bottom. Here’s the test part! Pull your box at the tab. If your cubes jump up and confetti is everywhere, it worked! Just slip them back inside of the sliding box and it’s ready to gift to that special someone!
I’d love to see what you create with my templates! Happy crafting!
**PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE FILES ARE NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE. THEY ARE TO BE USED BY THE PURCHASER ONLY FOR PERSONAL USE! PLEASE DO NOT SELL OR MASS DUPLICATE MY NTA TEMPLATES TO SELL! I spend an awful lot of time creating templates like these with the intent that they will be used nobly and honorably by all who come across my content. For more details, please refer to my copyright notice and terms and conditions.