Greeting cards are the quintessential embodiment of the holiday season. Here are three fabulous ways to include 3D elements in your holiday cards that everyone will love.

1- 3D Pop-Up Cards

Pop-up cards are attractive and fun because they add a three-dimensional quality to the body of the card. Begin by gathering a variety of vibrant holiday-colored cardstock and cutting them into figures, patterns, and pictures that will create your holiday theme. Construct a scene by assembling the cut-out pieces into layers. The layers should vary in distance to create depth, volume, and dimension. Once you are happy with your design, glue your cut-out layered shapes to the base of the card. After creating your holiday scene, adorn your card by mixing cardstock colors to create contrast. Add ribbons, stickers, and other craft elements that add your personality to your design. Let the card dry and touch it up as you like.

2- Foam Pad Decorations

Holiday decorations come in many themes and are found in craft materials. One of the simplest and effective ways to include 3D elements in your handmade holiday card is to use foam pads to adhere to organic decorations. Begin by taking a sheet of paper or cardstock and folding it in half. Decorate the top half of the paper with a pen, ink, or paint to design the front of the card. Or, write a message. Take a small foam pad, peel the backing, and attach it to a piece of crafted wood art, metal, or paper. Paper flowers also work well. Peel the second backing and stick it to the front of the card. Press down for a few seconds to ensure everything is secure. Once you’ve glued your decorations, embellish the rest of your card with glitter glue, mini gems, ribbons, or any holiday ornament that fits your scene. The more layers you add to your card, the more prominent the 3D elements become.

3- Card Toppers

Card toppers make beautifully crafted holiday cards with elements of 3D. Toppers are decorative craft items you glue to the top of a card to make it stand out. They can be simple or elaborate pieces, depending on your design. Many craft stores sell ready-made toppers. Stickers, flowers, bows, die-cut letters, and lace are just a few items used as toppers to adorn cards. When strategically placed, toppers create a 3D effect because they create depth. You can create landscapes or scenes for the holidays. Whatever you design, overlap toppers of different shapes. For example, to create a cozy Christmas-themed room, you could use a fireplace, Christmas tree, gifts, and other cut-outs or die-cut toppers. Holiday-colored ribbons layer on top of the toppers to embellish the decor. Another way to use toppers is to draw your image, stamp it, and color it. Many craft websites also offer free topper templates.

When it comes to decorating holiday cards, the options are endless. This holiday season, make your handmade cards stand out by incorporating 3D elements.

Published by: Josh Tatunay