Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Sofa Card Download Problem Corrected

Sofa Card Download Problem Corrected

I apologize for the download problem but it is corrected now.  In case you are interested it was a Google Docs glitch.  For those of you who follow me by e-mail, here are the links for the corrected templates.

Download Sofa Card Instructions                 Download Sofa Card Template



 Contacting me: To leave a comment, click on the word Comments in the box below the post. All comments are approved by me before publishing. Your e-mail address will not be published.

 If you enjoy collecting these patterns and don't want to miss one, PLEASE follow me by e-mail and add my e-mail address to your address book. Look for the red arrow in the right hand column. Fill in the e-mail box and click submit. Your e-mail address will never be sold or distributed or used for any reason other than sharing EZ3D content and news. If you have a Facebook account, would you please take a few seconds and like me on Facebook. If you would like to join my blog through Google Friends Connect, you will also find that in the right hand column.  Thanks so much and have fun!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Sofa PopUp Card EZ3D PopUps

Sofa PopUp Card EZ3D PopUps

©2012, Jean Bullock All rights reserved.

Materials needed: template, printer, 2 sheets of card stock, ruler, craft knife, pencil, and adhesive.


Here is our new lesson, the easy version of a pop up sofa card, complete with a folded patchwork throw and matching pillows. Well ... with all that and the paintings on the wall and the carpet, it's more like a living room card. My son thought the quilt was crooked but I made it that way intentionally. I was trying to make it look like it was folded in half.  Oh well ...

The Sofa base is the first generation cut. The arm rests and pillows are second generation cuts. For those of you who have not studied the previous lessons, a first generation cut is made directly into the cardstock.  A second generation is created by cutting into the fold of a first generation cut. A third generation is cut into the second and so forth. 

Sofa Pop Up Card front view. Lots of room for embellishments.
Plenty of room to glue on a gift card envelope or add sentiment.
Photo and pattern ©2012, Jean Bullock

You can see the depth of the couch from this view.
Photo and pattern ©2012, Jean Bullock
The PDF file will have a diagram with instructions as well as the final card pattern.  On the final pattern, cut away the white border, then score the valley fold line and kiss cut* the mountain (ridge) fold lines fir, then make your vertical cuts.  There are 6 of them.  Once that is done, begin the folding process.

The folding is often the most difficult part of Origamic Architecture. It's difficult to describe with words, so take your time and think it through and if you find a better way to make it work, go for it and let us in on your secret.  Just remember that the valley creases must recede and the mountain folds come forward.

As you manipulate the card, be careful that you crease only the scored lines where they are marked.  An unintentional crease can compromise the stability of the card.

You will notice that I did not put lines on some areas that will need cutting. Just follow the diagram and you will see where to cut.  The white lines have no significance except that the bottom white line just looks better when you are done and the top two white lines are to enable you to see them more clearly against the darker quilt background.

There are NO horizontal cuts. Only vertical.  The extra lines on the sofa are just for design – don't cut them.  It looks harder than it is and the directions sound harder than they are.  It may take you a couple of tries, but keep at it and you will succeed.

Have fun!

Grandma Jean

* A kiss cut is made by dragging the tip of the craft knife with little or no pressure so only the top layers of the card are cut. The layers separate and allow the card to come forward in a mountain (ridge) fold.


 Contacting me: To leave a comment, click on the word Comments in the box below the post. All comments are approved by me before publishing. Your e-mail address will not be published.

 If you enjoy collecting these patterns and don't want to miss one, PLEASE follow me by e-mail and add my e-mail address to your address book. Look for the red arrow in the right hand column. Fill in the e-mail box and click submit. Your e-mail address will never be sold or distributed or used for any reason other than sharing EZ3D content and news. If you have a Facebook account, would you please take a few seconds and like me on Facebook. If you would like to join my blog through Google Friends Connect, you will also find that in the right hand column.  Thanks so much and have fun!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Tool Bench Card  EZ3D PopUps  Level 2    Lesson 2

Materials needed: Template, cardstock, craft knife, ruler, pencil, printer.


If you have practiced the second generation cutting in the previously posted template, you should be able to make this card easily.  The directions are included with the PDF template.  You only have to make 4 vertical cuts with the craft knife.  You will see that I don't have a lot of dotted folding lines on the final card template.  I don't like to see those on finished cards, so I set up the template so you can fold and cut without them.

Just follow the guides on the direction page of the template and you will do fine.  You will need to kiss cut the mountain (ridge) folds.  That means you cut with little or no pressure so only the top layer of card stock is cut and allows the paper to bend forward into a mountain fold.

This would make a great card for Father's Day or for a birthday for anyone who loves working with tools.  If you need me to make a tutorial on how to fold this card, please let me know in the comment section. Have fun!

Click here for the PDF template.


 Contacting me: To leave a comment, click on the word Comments in the box below the post. All comments are approved by me before publishing. If you would like me to contact you directly, let me know that and include your e-mail address in the comment box. I do not publish comments with e-mail addresses, so your address is safe.

 If you enjoy collecting these patterns and don't want to miss one, PLEASE follow me by e-mail and add my e-mail address to your address book. Look for the red arrow in the right hand column. Fill in the e-mail box and click submit. Your e-mail address will never be sold or distributed or used for any reason other than sharing EZ3D content and news. If you have a Facebook account, would you please take a few seconds and like me on Facebook. Thanks so much and have fun!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

EZ3D PopUps Sneak Preview of Upcoming Projects

Hi, Everyone!

I hope you have working on the vertical box exercise that was featured on the previous post.  I am still tweaking the templates for the Pop Up cards that we will be making based on that exercise, so in the meantime I am giving you a sneak preview of our upcoming projects.

I use a grid to design the templates for all my OA and Pop Up cards.  Eventually the flat grid is turned into a working 3D model.  I adjust the model so that it works properly and eventually it looks something like this:



Here is a view of the back of the model:

Once I have the working model adjusted and if I am going to be working in color, I add colors and textures.  Here is an in-progress sample based on our recent Level 2 exercise.





and a preview of some of our upcoming models.




Here is an overhead view so you can see the depth of the cuts.


 When the model is complete, it is inserted into an outside sleeve, either by slots, picture corners or adhesive. The top of the outside sleeve can be decorated.


That's all for now.  It's back to the drawing board to continue preparing your next free template.
See you soon!

Grandma Jean


Contacting me: To leave a comment, click on the word Comments in the box below the post. All comments are approved by me before publishing. If you would like me to contact you directly, let me know that and include your e-mail address in the comment box. I do not publish comments with e-mail addresses, so your address is safe. 


 If you enjoy collecting these patterns and don't want to miss one, PLEASE follow me by e-mail and add my e-mail address to your address book. Look for the red arrow in the right hand column. Fill in the e-mail box and click submit. Your e-mail address will never be sold or distributed or used for any reason other than sharing EZ3D content and news. If you have a Facebook account, would you please take a few seconds and like me on Facebook. Thanks so much and have fun!

Sunday, July 15, 2012

EZ3D PopUps Level 2 Lesson 1 Vertical boxes

EZ3D PopUps Level 2  Lesson 1 Vertical Boxes

Please read the previous post regarding Level 2 materials and techniques.  

Materials needed: Template, printer paper, craft knife, ruler and scoring tool.

Vertical box. Practice this first.
After practicing the first box, you will add a second
generation cut to create two box shapes.
Let's get started.  Click HERE to download the PDF template.  You will get two pages. One is the first generation cut with the directions on it.  Do that one first.  Cut the border away from the template and then score and cut according to the directions.

Slip your hand into the slot and bend
forward on the valley fold.

Slip your fingers behind the slots and bend the valley fold forward and crease. Also pinch forward the valley fold lines to the right and left of the slot.  Make sure the paper is creased only on the dotted lines.













Turn the paper upside down and repeat the procedure.








Keeping your hands within the slots, pinch the mountain (ridge) fold forward.  Make sure the paper is only bent on the lines.







Making sure that all the creases are folding in the right direction, fold the template flat,  firmly crease the folds and then pop up the paper.





The next diagram includes a second generation cut (which means you cut into a fold created by the first generation cut.)

Cut the border away from the template, score all the lines and then cut them.  Starting with the largest box first, follow the same procedure you used in the first template.  Then apply the procedure to the shorter box. Carefully close the card so that all the folds are going the right way, crease and then pop up the card.

Our next project will be creating a fun pop up card using what we learned today.  


Contacting me: To leave a comment, click on the word Comments in the box below the post. All comments are approved by me before publishing. If you would like me to contact you directly, let me know that and include your e-mail address in the comment box. I do not publish comments with e-mail addresses, so your address is safe. 


 If you enjoy collecting these patterns and don't want to miss one, PLEASE follow me by e-mail and add my e-mail address to your address book. Look for the red arrow in the right hand column. Fill in the e-mail box and click submit. Your e-mail address will never be sold or distributed or used for any reason other than sharing EZ3D content and news. If you have a Facebook account, would you please take a few seconds and like me on Facebook. Thanks so much and have fun!