A Simple Pop-Up Card That Looks Like You Tried Way Harder Than You Did
Jan 28, 2026
Stampin' Up! Pop-Up Petals bundle card with Perennial Lavender dsp

If you’ve ever looked at a pop-up card and thought, That’s cute… but I don’t have the patience for that, I completely understand. Interactive cards can feel intimidating—especially when you’re worried about complicated measurements, bulky cards, or things not lining up properly.

That’s exactly why I wanted to share this project using the Stampin’ Up! Pop-Up Petals bundle. Once you understand the “magic” behind the dies, this pop-up card is surprisingly easy to make—and the results are absolutely worth it.

I recently shared this card during one of my weekly Quick Class Lives, and I’m breaking it all down here so you can see just how approachable pop-up cardmaking can be.


Why the Pop-Up Petals Bundle Is Different

The Pop-Up Petals bundle includes coordinating stamps and dies, but what really makes it special are the pop-up dies themselves. These dies don’t just cut—they also score, which is the key to making the mechanism work so smoothly.

There are two sizes of pop-up dies included, and they’re designed with small notches that help you line them up perfectly on a scored fold. Once you know how to position the die, the rest is almost effortless.

This bundle is ideal if you:

  • Love interactive cards but want to keep things simple
  • Prefer clean and elegant designs over bulky constructions
  • Want cards that still fit in a standard envelope

The Card Design: Clean on the Outside, Surprise on the Inside

For this card, I paired the Pop-Up Petals bundle with Perennial Lavender Designer Series Paper. This paper may not be brand new, but it’s one I keep coming back to—the colors are soft, calming, and perfect for floral designs.

Card Base & Insert Measurements

  • Card base: Gorgeous Grape cardstock, 11″ x 4-1/4″, scored at 5-1/2″
  • Insert: Basic White cardstock, 10-1/2″ x 4″, scored at 5-1/4″

The insert is where the pop-up magic happens. You score it first, then line up the smaller pop-up die directly over the score line using those notches as a guide.

When you run it through the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine, the die cuts the sides and scores the fold lines all at once. From there, you simply push the center forward and fold—your pop-up structure is done.


Assembling the Pop-Up Mechanism (The Easy Part!)

Once the insert is folded, it gets adhered inside the card base:

  1. Add adhesive to the top and bottom sections of the insert
  2. Line up the fold with the card base fold
  3. Close the card to secure everything in place

When you open the card—voilà—you have a working pop-up card. No complicated engineering required.

This method works whether your card opens vertically, horizontally, or even from the top. You can also experiment with multiple pop-ups on a horizontal card once you’re comfortable with the basics.


Stamping & Decorating with Pop-Up Petals

The Pop-Up Petals stamp set is a two-step stamping set, which makes it easy to add color without fuss.

For this card, I used:

  • Pretty Peacock for the vase (pulled directly from the DSP colors)
  • Highland Heather for the flowers
  • Lost Lagoon for the leaves

I stamped the same floral image for both the inside and outside of the card to keep the design cohesive. The coordinating dies make cutting everything out quick and clean.

To attach the flower inside the card, I trimmed the stem slightly and adhered it right at the center fold of the pop-up insert. This placement allows the flower to pop forward naturally when the card is opened.


Finishing the Card Front (Efficient & Class-Friendly)

On the card front, I layered two patterns from the Perennial Lavender DSP, leaving a small gap between them. Instead of ribbon, I filled that space with a narrow strip of Highland Heather cardstock—simple, clean, and cost-effective.

This approach is especially helpful when designing cards for classes, because it:

  • Maximizes paper usage from a 12″ x 12″ sheet
  • Keeps supply costs under control
  • Still looks intentional and polished

I finished the front with the coordinating vase and flower, plus a couple of small stamped butterflies and one of the sentiments included in the set, such as:

  • Grateful for your friendship
  • Thanks for being there
  • You make my life better just by being in it

Endless Ways to Use This Pop-Up Card Design

Once you understand how the pop-up die works, the possibilities really open up. You can:

  • Change the orientation of the card
  • Use different stamped images or sentiments
  • Add multiple pop-ups to one card
  • Adapt the design for birthdays, sympathy, encouragement, or thank you cards

If you search for Stampin’ Pop-Up Petals, you’ll find lots of inspiration from demonstrators using this bundle in creative ways.


Final Thoughts

If pop-up cards have felt intimidating in the past, I hope this project shows you that they don’t have to be. The Pop-Up Petals bundle takes care of the hard part for you, so you can focus on enjoying the creative process.

This card looks impressive, feels special when opened, and is absolutely doable—even if interactive cards aren’t usually your thing. Watch the full class here:

For info about my upcoming in-person and virtual classes, check out my class descriptions here and my calendar here. I hope to see you at a class sometime soon, but you can always find ideas here on my blog as well as on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter at the bottom of this page so you don’t miss a thing!

Pop-Up Petals Card Measurements:

  • Gorgeous Grape card base—11” x 4 1/4”, folded at 5 1/2”
  • Basic White—10 1/2” x 4”, scored at 5 1/4”, 3 1/4” x 2 1/4”, 2” x 4” (2)
  • Highland Heather—3 1/2” x 2 1/2”, 1/2” x 4”
  • Perennial Lavender DSP—3” x 4”, 2” x 4”

Pop-Up Petals Card Supplies:


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