Move part of this cute card’s design and the paper birds will move in response. Try one of two patterns, either two birds that sit on a branch and kiss or two chicks that pick at the ground. Include a cute saying and you can give a thoughtful Valentine’s Day card that will cost a fraction of the cards you find at the store. Depending on how elaborate you make the card you can complete this project in 20-to-30 minutes. If you already have the materials on hand, this card will cost pennies to produce.
Craft Materials
The basic materials are the same for this card; however, you have the option of using different supplies to embellish the card and make it unique.
Basic Craft Supplies
Sheet of cardstock in whatever color you want for the background. Scraps of cardstock. Two paper fasteners (you can paint them with acrylic paint so they match the scene on your card) Piece of scrapbook paper or gift wrap paper that will fit on the inside front cover of the card. Glue stick, scissors, ruler, pencil, hole punch
Optional Craft Materials
For the birds and any background elements you can draw the images by hand, use a rubber stamp or paper punch, or print pictures from online. (If you print an image from online, copy the picture to your word processing software and then format the picture by flipping the image and giving yourself a mirror image of your chosen picture.
Craft Ideas for Valentine’s Day
Although you can use any design you can think of, a couple of ideas to get you started on this moving bird card is either two birds sitting on a branch or two chicks or chickens in a farmyard.
Birds on a Branch: When you cut the strips of paper (described below), use brown cardstock or a bark patterned cardstock. You could even do a texture rubbing, holding the cardstock against a tree and then rubbing the side of a crayon over the paper so to duplicate the texture of the bark on the cardstock. Another option is to draw bark lines onto the cardstock.
You will want two birds in mirror image, so their beaks face the other bird. If you print the birds from online, glue them onto cardstock for support and cut out the birds. On the cover, write “Kisses for You,” “XOXOXO,” or the phrase of your choice.
Chickens in the Farmyard: Cut the strips (described below) from a color that matches the background. You can even apply glue to the strips and the lower portion of the front of the card and cover with cornmeal to resemble the ground. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly before you continue. Add an image of a barn to the background. Your message on the front of the card could be, “I pick you!”
How to Make a Valentine’s Day Card
Decide on which card pattern you will follow. Print or make the birds and any decorative elements for the background of the card. The following directions offer the basic directions for making a card with moving elements (in this case, two birds).
Fold the cardstock in half. From the scrap cardstock cut a six-inch strip and two three-inch strips. See the ideas above for ways to make these strips look like part of a farmyard or the branch of a tree. Glue one bird to the top of each three-inch strip. Glue the longer strip to the card. Place it at least two inches above the opening of the card. Place the birds on the card so that they will be close enough to kiss (if they are sitting on the branch; the farmyard chickens can peck at the ground). With the paper punch, punch a hole into the paper strips that are attached to the birds and through the card. Attach with the paper fasteners. By moving the strips the birds are attached to, you can make the birds move. Glue a piece of scrapbook paper or gift wrap to the inner cover of the card to hide the paper fasteners. Apply glue along the edges of the card so the paper fasteners are free to move. Write a message inside the card.
This Valentine’s Day card is easy to create but the moving parts add a special and surprising element. Embellish your card however you like to make it as simple or elaborate as you’d like. Think of other designs that could move and play around with this pattern.