Lord Ganesha Pop-Up Card

This project is dedicated to Gurudev
©jmg 2008 For personal use only
Summer Camp 2009, 2010

Click on picture to view enlarged.

This card is not difficult to make at all – don't be discouraged by the number of assembly steps listed below.  Balavihar summer camp students (of all ages) made oodles of these. Adult supervision, however, is needed for cutting with an exacto knife.

Materials

• 1 Cream color greeting card (and envelope) 5 x 7*

• 1 Cream colored card (for pop-up structure) 4 1/4 x 5 1/2*

• Light color cardstock (for printing template image below)

• Gold foil

• Glue stick

• Scissors

• Exacto knife (adult supervision)

• Rhinestones, sequins, etc. (for decorating Lord Ganesha's crown)

• Gold gel pen
• Markers or colored pencils

* Fold a piece of sturdy cardstock for the card. Cut size to measurements listed above.

Directions

1. Print the image (below) onto a light colored cardstock.

2. Cut out the head, ears and pop-up template.

3. Fold the ears and head on the lines where indicated (dotted lines.)

4. With the 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card stock (in the folded position) , place the pop-up template on top. Make sure to carefully line the template onto the fold of the card.)

5. Trace the solid lines onto the folded cardstock. These lines determine the crown and head of Lord Ganesha.

6. With a pair of scissors, cut on the solid lines. Do not cut on the dotted lines.

7. Once you have made your cuts, fold the two shapes on the dotted lines. The top shape is the crown, and the bottom shape is Lord Ganesha's head.

Open the card and push the shapes in. Click here to see how it is done with a traditional pop-up card.

8. With the exacto knife (and adult supervision) you will be making 3 slices into the folded cardstock:

a)  The first two will be vertical cuts on either side of Ganesha's head — these cuts are where the ears will be placed. Make sure that your cuts will be long enough to insert each ear into.

b) The next cut will be horizontal, positioned about 1/5 to 1/4  down from the top of his face. This cut is where the trunk goes.

9. Once you have your cuts made, insert the ears and the trunk. Make sure to securely glue each flap on the back side of the card.

10. The trunk will create a natural fold when you close the card for the first time. Once the trunk has been folded, you can glue the tip of the trunk to the inside paper where it touches when the card is in the closed position.

11. Now you are ready to glue the inside folded card (4 1/4 x 5 1/2) to the outside card (5 x 7). Position the pop-up card inside the larger folded card, making sure that it is centered nicely. Open one side of the outer card and glue the inner card. Make sure to not glue the cut out areas, otherwise your card will not pop-up. Gently lay the outer card down on the inner card and rub thoroughly with your hands. Turn the card over and do the same to the other side. Click here to see pictures of gluing the folded papers together.

12. Decorate your Lord Ganesha — and then make another!

Solid lines represent cutting lines.

Dotted lines represent fold lines.

Click for full-page view. Print on cream colored cardstock