Last year I shared a DIY Happy Mother’s Day card with pop up flowers. Although most of you shared your success, it did require precision to line up all the flowers, and some of you mentioned it was challenging. So I was determined to create a really easy, and equally beautiful pop up card for this year. ( Some of the helpful resources are affiliate links. Full disclosure here. )
Here it is! This handmade Happy Mother’s Day card is FAIL- PROOF even for beginners. I tested it five times ( really ), some cards were cut by hand, some using my favorite crafting machine: the Cricut Maker. Every one of them popped up easily. So yes, you can make it easily!
I will share with you all the free printable leaves and flowers templates, SVG files, and step by step tutorial with a video on how to make a beautiful DIY Mother’s Day card with a big pop up flower, on your Cricut smart cutting machine or by hand. I will also share a couple of color and design variations.
If you have a Cricut Maker or Explore, I have a special treat for you. Have you tried the amazing Cricut print then cut feature? You won’t believe how easy it is to cut these hand-drawn leaves I made for the card using this amazing feature. As a first timer, I am able to learn and use it in less than 5 minutes!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.
Video tutorial on how to make pop up flower Mother’s Day card
Materials and tools to make the DIY Mother’s Day card with pop up flower:
- Card stock: Cricut.com has really beautiful quality card stock. I use a pack of mixed blue card stock for the blue flower card, and a pack of pink and ivory card stock for the pink flower card . You can use this white card stock to print the covers and the hand drawn leaves.
- there are two ways to cut everything: you can use scissors or an Xacto knife to cut, but if you are a DIY and crafts addict like me, a Cricut Maker ( or Cricut Explore ) is such a joy to use! The smart machine can cut so many materials in no time.
- a printer to print the cover and the leaves , and craft glue
Step 1: Cut flowers and leaves
You can make a gorgeous flower using as few as 3 to 4 flower layers, or use all 5 layers.
If you are cutting everything by hand, tape the flower templates ( free download at the end) to the card stock using double sided tape, and cut using scissors or an Xacto knife.
The Cricut Maker is my favorite little helper on so many crafts and decor projects. I am sharing the SVG file at the end for you to use. Here’s a detailed tutorial on getting started with your first Cricut Maker project in 20 minutes!
To cut the flowers, just upload the SVG flower file in Cricut Design Space, double check and make sure the largest flower measures about 6″ to 6.5″, and keep the group of flowers together when you resize.
Tip: after resizing, un-group, and select each flower shape with the cut lines on it, and click “attach”. The attach function helps to hold all your cuts in the same position within each flower shape. The Cricut Maker will group the same colors on a cutting mat, and prompt you to change mat when cutting the next sheet of color card stock.
Now the super fun part: print then cut! I couldn’t believe how easy it was. The key is to use a png or pdf file which has transparent background. I made this sheet of hand drawn leaves as a png file you can download.
When you upload it in Cricut Design space, it will ask you to choose whether it’s print then cut, or cut only. Selecting print then cut will tell the machine to print the entire image, and cut along the outlines of each leaf on the transparent background.
First the machine will send the png file to your printer, and it will print out like this: the black lines are registration marks, and each leaf has a little bleed around the edges, this ensures that each leaf is cut precisely to the right size without any white paper left on the edges. So smart!
Keep in mind that currently the maximum image size for Cricut Print Then Cut is 9.25″ x 6.75″ and the default material to print is 8.5″ x 11″.
Step 2: Fold and glue flower layers
The key to this step is to carefully match the tabs on each layer, and use just a dot of glue on each tab. I will show detailed photos. You can also watch the video tutorial below to follow along.
Video tutorial on how to make pop up flower Mother’s Day card
Fold flower #1 in half, matching the two tabs, fold in between the petals along the cut lines, glue the two end petals together. Repeat with the other flower layers.
Place flower layer #2 inside layer #1, fold the tabs of each layer so the folding line matches. Glue the tabs of flower layer #1 to layer #1. Repeat with flower layers #3.
IMPORTANT: When it comes to the center layers #4A and #4B, instead of trying to match the folding lines, match the tip of each tab.
Once all the layers are glued together on these tabs, put a dot of glue between the back of the tabs on layer #1 and the back of layer #1 petals, and press together. This will help the flower open to full size.
Step 3: assemble Happy Mother’s Day card with pop up flower.
There are different ways to use the cover for our DIY Happy Mother’s Day card with pop up flower. You can print it out on this white card stock ( like in the pink flower version), or use it with colored card stock to create a layered look (like in the pink flower version).
I love the blue flower on the deep blue background, so I trimmed Happy Mother’s Day card cover, and glued it to the deep blue card stock also trimmed to about 9″x11″, and folded in half.
Center the stack of flowers vertically inside the card, and line it up with the folded line. Put a dot of glue on the back of the tabs and press together the cover and the flower tab. Do this on the front and back cover. Check out the video above if you are unsure of this step.
Add some leaves as final touches. You can glue the leaves to the card or to the back of the flower. It is so much fun playing with these pop up cards. Don’t you think they would make beautiful displays on a shelf or mantel?
To download all free templates for this card and tons of other goodies, click button below!
Want more Cricut project? Here’s a set of DIY wood wall art with hand lettered quotes you can make in an hour!
You may also love: A huge set of free printable floral greeting cards!
Another 3D paper craft to make: DIY giant 3D paper snow flake pendant.
Happy creating! See you soon!
Stephanie
These cards are so cute! I love that they are doable without a Cricut, too, since I don’t have one. I have thought about it, it wouldn’t be so great for the current budget, but I know I would end up having so much fun making all the things, so maybe this year I will get one!
Amanda @ Healthy House on the Block
What a beautiful card! I have wanted a Cricut for years now — and I had never even thought about doing this type of craft with it. My older daughter would absolutely love creating a card like this. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful idea!
Flossie McCowald
Those cards are just gorgeous – so beautiful!!! My SIL has a Cricut and would love this activity!
Janice Brady
OMG! These are absolutely beautiful. These will be great to do with my grandchildren for them to have something special for their mom
Patricia Chamberlain
These cards are so beautiful! I have not convinced my husband that our home needs a cricut yet, but my sister in law has one, so I may have to go over to her house and make one of these for my mom!
Bree
Oh wow this turned out so cute!! I need to bust out my machine and make some with my kids!
Sue
For some reason the zip file hasn’t got an svg file in it, am I doing something wrong? Thanks. 🙂
ananda
hi sue, others have gotten all the files in the zip, there is one svg and several png files in there! 🙂
Dawn
Oh, wow. It looks so sweet. These cards are so beautiful. We with my son will do it for my mom. Oh. Thank you for sharing with this diy. :)) Good luck with your blog!
Karan
Amanda, I’ve been signed up to receive the newsletter for a while. I hit free downloads in the newsletter, and still can’t do it! I went back & forth multiple times. Can you please help me?
ananda
hi karan, do you get to a page with all the downloads when you hit the button in newsletter?
Kate Hammond
Hi Ananda, I have all my things lined up and this is only the third project with my Cricut. The leaves printed and cut beautifully. I was able to upload all the png files, but the svg file only has the yellow piece 4b showing – none of the other flower parts. Can I just resize all the png files to the same size and work with that?
thank you! This is such a gorgeous project.
ananda
hi kate! so glad you are making this! 🙂 i checked the files and the svg should have all 5 flowers on it. maybe try zooming out? because the yellow one is at the center. if not, then yes you can size the png to cut the outer shape and just hand cut or score the few folding lines. have fun! 🙂
Linda Almudarris
can I use the svg file w/mine Silhouette?
thanks
ananda
hi linda, yes you can. just double check the sizing when you open the file. 🙂
Becky
I think you could create a PDF that just had out lines and people without circuit machines could print the outlines onto construction paper from their regular home printer. That’s what I”m going to do!
ananda
yes it is already in the set of downloads 🙂 we never want to turn people away from a project!
C
I’m adjusting the fold lines into score lines so I can have my machine create the folds. Thanks; this is a beautiful design!
ananda
that’s a great idea! i made those into perforated lines here but score lines would work great too! 🙂
Angie
You’re right! These flowers are fail-proof, they were so easy to make!! I LOVE THEM!! Thank you so much for making the templates available.
ananda
thank you so much angie for sharing your experience! so happy that you enjoyed making them! 🙂
Kharisha
Where is the video tutorial?
ananda
at the beginning before the materials list, then in step 2! 🙂
Gail Hunt
Cannot find the tutorial!!
ananda
hi gail, if you are trying to find a tutorial for a similar card made without the cricut, you can try this one here: https://www.apieceofrainbow.com/make-birthday-card-pop-up-flower/
Irene
Hi! I have been trying to subscribe to you newsletter and I hadn’t received any email. An I doing something wrong?
ananda
hi irene! did you check promotions or spam folder on gmail? if you don’t see our email there, let me know! 🙂
Trish M
These are beautiful! I would love to make these with my kids and send them to their grandparents to brighten their day! I joined design bundles and got and email, but am having trouble finding the template for these. Any tips on searching?
ananda
hi trish! not sure what you meant by ‘design bundles’? do you mean our subscriber list? then you would get an email to all downloads! 🙂
Carren
Hi Ananda,
Thanks for sharing this beautiful pop-up craft. I taught my art students this and it turned out really well. We just traced and cut out the shapes by hand. I also mentioned you in my art blog: https://pixiebrush.wordpress.com/2020/04/20/pop-up-flower/. Thought I’d share some photos 🙂
ananda
hi Carren, these look great! thank you for sharing with your students!! 🙂
Liz
Hello I subscribed but received no email. I checked my spam folder. Can you suggest what search term to use to look for your email in my email account? I’m totally bummed because it’s not working 🙁
ananda
hi Liz! did you check promotions folder in gmail? it should come from ananda@apieceofrainbow.com
Bailey
Hi I am having the same problem and not receiving the emails!
ananda
hi bailey, we have a newsletter going out tomorrow, if you still don’t get it (check promotions) please let us know! 🙂
Bailey
Hi Amanda! I still have received it…. 🤔
ananda
we forwarded you the link! enjoy! 🙂
Penny Heath
My download only has 5 png files, and a chrome HTML document. Can’t find the SVG
ananda
hi! maybe try a different browser or unzip with a different tool? hundreds of readers have downloaded the SVG with no issues this month! 🙂
Catherine Ng
Hello,
I just subscribed but haven’t received a link yet. I’d like to get the templates for the downloads as I showed my grade 5’s what we’ll be (trying to) make for Mother’s Day. They were super excited and I wanted to have the templates for them prior to Art class so they have time to print it out. I’ve checked my junk mail but nothing has appeared.
Is there any other way to access the templates?
ananda
forwarded you a link! 🙂
Chantal Vassos
Hello!
These are so beautiful! I’ve tried signing up for the newsletter a few weeks back and again today… but I still haven’t received the email where I can download this (I checked my spam too). Would you be able to forward it, hoping to start these tomorrow!
Thank you!
Olga
There is a mention but no link to the video tutorial. Can you please add the link? I checked the happy birthday version of this card and there is no link to video either. Please help!
ananda
hi! the video (not a link) is right before the materials list in the article, ! 🙂
Carmen
Hi, wanted to let you know that the embedded video shows up in the mobile site but no the desktop version, so that’s why people are having trouble finding the video.
ananda
thank you so much Carmen! we will definitely look into this! 🙂
Sandy Russo
I cut these out by hand and the card came out beautiful! The template, however, doesn’t have the very inner part (4B), but it still came out lovely.
Peggy Williamson
What can I do to get the templets for the pop up flower card?
ananda
in our welcome email and subscriber weekly newsletter 🙂
Nancy
Do you have to have WinZip to download?
ananda
no, any free zip like peazip will be able to unpack the files! 🙂
Jen
Do you have any tips for resizing each file so that they all still fit together properly?
jen
Nevermind, I skipped over it while reading. Sorry about that!
Hoo
Hi, I just subscribed but if the emails with the links come out on thursdays/fridays, i will have to wait a week for the link! Is there any way to get a link sooner, so I can make my card in time for Mother’s Day? I’m so excited to make this card! Thanks 🙂
ananda
hi, there’s a welcome email with the link as soon as you sign up, check promotions folder in gmail! 🙂
Renee Fabbi
Svg file does not download into design space well. It over laps the images.
ananda
not sure why, lots of people have made this without problems 🙂
Lexi
I signed up, got an email and clicked the link, but it just took me to some other website and I still cannot find the download anywhere!
ananda
hi lexi, did you click the red button? we have hundreds of downloads everyday and have not heard such an issue. what other website is it?
Tracie
I’m trying to cut the layers onto different color mats on Cricut but I can’t detach the pages to make each shape separate. Help?
ananda
hi tracie! maybe you are talking about ungroup?
Suzanne
Hi, I have signed up for the newsletter a few weeks back but still have not received it. I signed up again last week and again this week. I’ve checked my junk/spam folder and it’s not there either. Is there any other way to access the downloads?
ananda
hi! we forwarded you a link. maybe adding our email to safe list could help! 🙂