How to Make an Interactive Wiper Card | Big Fun Die Set Tutorial

Ready to add a little surprise to your handmade cards? Today, we're creating interactive wiper cards using the Big Fun Die Set from our new Parade Day Collection ! With a simple pull of the card's side, a hidden element pops up from behind the scene. It's such a fun way to bring your card designs to life!

Channin Pelletier is joining us with a step-by-step video tutorial showing how to create these clever cards in both portrait and landscape orientations. She'll walk you through all the measurements, scoring, folding, and assembly, plus share helpful tips for getting that wiper mechanism working perfectly. And of course, she's adding some festive flair with Santa balloons and city skylines inspired by a holiday parade!

Follow along as Channin demonstrates both versions of this interactive card, from building the base to adding the final festive details. We've also outlined the steps below so you can easily reference the measurements and assembly instructions as you create.

The first step is creating the card base. Both versions use the same folding and assembly techniques, but the measurements are a little different depending on which orientation you choose.

Portrait Wiper Card Measurements

• Start with an 8.5" x 11" sheet of cardstock. Channin uses Waterfall Cardstock.

• Trim your cardstock to 8.25" x 5.75" .

• With the 5.75" side along the top of your scoreboard, score at 4.25" and 5" , creating two score lines that are 0.75" apart.

• Rotate your cardstock so the score lines are at the top, then cut at 5.5" to create two separate panels.

Landscape Wiper Card Measurements

• Start with an 8.5" x 11" sheet of cardstock.

• Trim your cardstock to 7" x 7" .

• Score at 5.5" and 6.25" , creating two score lines that are 0.75" apart.

• Rotate your cardstock so the score lines are at the top, then cut at 4.25" to create your two panels.

Helpful Tip: Both versions have a larger back panel and a smaller front panel. The 0.75" space between the score lines is important because it allows the card to expand and activate the wiper mechanism.

Now it's time to create the accordion folds that allow the card to open and close.

1. Position the larger back panel with its score lines on the right.

2. Fold the inner score line into a valley fold and the rightmost score line into a mountain fold .

3. Rotate the smaller front panel so its score lines are on the left.

4. On this panel, fold the leftmost score line into a valley fold and the inner score line into a mountain fold .

5. Use a bone folder to reinforce the creases for crisp, clean folds.

When you bring the two panels together, the folded sections should work like an accordion.

Before adhering the panels together, Channin adds a little color to her background. She blends Paradise Core Ink across the upper portion of the back panel, creating a beautiful aqua sky. Then she splatters White Acrylic Speckle over the ink blending for a snowy effect.

Once the background is dry, adhere the right sides of the front and back panels together. Channin recommends standing the card upright on your work surface as you glue so the bottom edges are perfectly aligned.

Helpful Tip: Liquid glue gives you a little extra time to adjust the panels before the adhesive sets.

Here's where the magic starts! The Big Fun Die Set includes two dies that work together to create the moving wiper mechanism.

You'll need:

• One long, angled wiper piece die cut from acetate .

• One folded mechanism piece die cut from cardstock. Channin uses Waterfall Cardstock to match her card base.

Using acetate for the moving strip is a great trick to make the mechanism less noticeable behind the pop-up element.

Assemble the Mechanism

1. Take the cardstock mechanism piece and fold both corners along the score lines created by the die. Fold them back into mountain folds. The piece will resemble a little volcano.

2. Reinforce both folds with a bone folder.

3. Flip the mechanism over so the folded shape now resembles an upside-down volcano.

4. Open your card base and locate the back side of the smaller front panel.

5. Position the mechanism as high as possible while keeping it hidden behind the front panel.

6. Apply liquid glue to one folded corner and adhere it between the two score lines on the back of the front panel.

7. Press firmly with your bone folder to secure the corner, then fold the mechanism down to make sure it can still move freely.

8. Open the remaining folded corner and apply liquid glue inside the fold.

9. Insert the angled end of the acetate strip, with the angled side pointing downward.

10. Close the fold over the acetate, sandwiching it between the two layers of cardstock. Hold until the glue begins to set.

And just like that, your wiper mechanism is assembled!

Test it before moving on: Close the card, hold the left sides together, and gently pull the right side. The acetate strip should move upward as the card expands.

Now for the fun part! Channin uses the Santa balloon dies included in the Big Fun Die Set to create the surprise element that pops up above the city skyline.

She die cuts the Santa pieces from colorful cardstock, using Poppy for his suit, white for his beard and hat trim, and black for his gloves, boots, and belt. His face is cut from Chiffon Cardstock, with a slightly darker Bellini nose. A little matte gold cardstock adds the perfect finishing touch to his belt buckle!

Channin also shares a clever trick for Santa's eyes. Instead of trying to inlay tiny black cardstock pieces, she simply colors the embossed eye details with a black marker.

Assemble Santa by layering the face, beard, mustache, and hat details, followed by the gloves, boots, belt, and buckle.

With Santa assembled, it's time to attach him to the acetate strip and get him ready to pop up!

1. Check the positioning. Before gluing anything, make sure Santa will be completely hidden behind the front panel when the card is closed. You can use a ruler or grid work surface to help determine the placement.

2. Adjust the acetate if needed. For the portrait card, trim a little more than 1" from the acetate strip. The landscape version has more room, so Channin leaves the acetate at its original length.

3. Attach a plain Santa base. Glue an additional Santa-shaped die cut to the back of the acetate strip, positioning the acetate near the top of the die cut.

4. Add the balloon strings. Die cut four white strings using the die included in the Big Fun Die Set. Adhere one string to each of Santa's hands and feet on the front of the plain base.

5. Trim the strings. Make sure the strings don't extend past the inner score line of the front panel. This is important so they won't interfere with the card's movement.

6. Add the finished Santa. Adhere your fully assembled Santa on top of the plain base, sandwiching the acetate strip and balloon strings securely between the two layers.

Now close your card and give the right side another gentle pull. Santa should pop up from behind the front panel!

Once you're happy with the movement, adhere the left side of the front panel to the left side of the back panel to finish the interactive card base.

Helpful Tip: Always test your mechanism before sealing the card closed. It's much easier to make adjustments while the panels are still open!

Every holiday parade needs a great backdrop! Channin creates two different city scenes using products from the Parade Day Collection, showing how easy it is to mix and match designs.

Portrait Card: City Skyline Die Set

For the portrait card, Channin combines the large building dies from the Big Fun Die Set with the City Skyline Die Set .

Die cut the large building layers from white, Fog, and Anchor Cardstock, alternating the gray tones to create contrast and highlight the architectural details. The City Skyline Die Set adds a beautiful layered cityscape that fills out the scene.

To assemble the skyline:

• Die cut and layer the city buildings using Fog and Anchor Cardstock.

• Trim the main skyline section to 4.25" wide to fit between the inner score line and the right edge of the front panel.

• Cut additional building sections to fit within the 0.75" spaces between the score lines.

• Make these smaller pieces slightly narrower than 0.75" so they don't overlap the folds.

• Adhere the buildings to the front panel, trimming any excess cardstock along the edges.

• Finish by layering the large building die cut over the skyline to create a bold focal point.

Landscape Card: In the City Stamp Set

For the landscape version, Channin switches things up with the In the City Stamp Set .

Stamp the detailed buildings using Granite, Charcoal, and black inks, creating a mix of gray tones that work beautifully together. After die cutting the buildings, arrange them across the front of the card, working from right to left.

Just like the portrait card, trim the buildings that sit between the score lines slightly narrower than 0.75" to keep the folds moving freely.

The combination of stamped details, layered buildings, and the bright red Santa creates such a fun holiday scene!

The finishing touch is a playful greeting from The  Holiday Season Stamp & Cut , another fun addition to the Parade Day Collection.

Channin uses two sentiments that pair perfectly with her interactive Santa cards:

• "Wishing you a fun-filled holiday season"

• "In case you were wondering, things are about to get festive around here"

The white heat-embossed greetings on black cardstock really stand out against the gray city skylines and tie the whole design together.

Give your finished card one last pull and watch Santa rise above the city!

We love a handmade card that does a little something extra, and these wiper cards are such a fun way to surprise someone! With two card orientations and plenty of creative possibilities, the Big Fun Die Set makes it easy to turn your next card into a celebration.

Be sure to watch Channin's full video tutorial for a closer look at the measurements, folds, and assembly process. Then explore the entire Parade Day Collection for even more festive cardmaking inspiration.