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Anastasiia Tysevych – Czech Republic
Tamara Morton – United Kingdom
We’re celebrating with something truly enchanting—an interactive Wonder of Oz Pop-Up Card Tutorial by Graphic 45 Brand Ambassador Kristine Woods! This project features our whimsical Wonder of Oz paper collection along with the brand-new Spellbinders × Graphic 45 BetterPress plates and dies.
Kristine has created a full video tutorial showing every step of this fresh, fun technique. Whether you’re a longtime papercrafter or brand new to BetterPress, you’re going to love learning how Dorothy and her friends come to life in this pop-up design.
How to use the BetterPress platform with the Wonder of Oz plates for crisp, detailed impressions
Tips for choosing the right paper, ink, and coloring mediums
Step-by-step instructions for assembling a dimensional pop-up card
How to layer, score, and align pieces for smooth interactive movement
Creative ways to showcase Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man & Cowardly Lion
Bonus finishing ideas using ribbon, foam tape, and embellishments
“Hi crafty friends. I have a project today that was a completely new technique to me and I can’t wait to share it with you. Have you seen the BetterPress plates that match the gorgeous new Wonder of Oz collection? These tiny letter press plates and coordinating dies are so intricate and they press beautifully. The possibilities for using these characters are endless, but I chose to make a pop-up card to showcase Dorothy and her friends. I hope you’ll check out the tutorial and give it a try.
Graphic 45 Supplies Needed
Graphic 45 Wonder of Oz 8×8 Collection Pack
Graphic 45 Wonder of Oz BetterPress Bundle
Graphic 45 Wonder of Oz Ephemera Assortment)
Graphic 45 Square Card Base (Kraft color)
Other Supplies Needed
BetterPress platform and die cutting machine
Black Inkpad (recommend waterproof/archival)
Watercolor paints, alcohol markers, or colored pencils to color the pressed pieces
24” of ribbon (I used blue plaid to match Dorothy’s dress)
Foam tape or scraps of chipboard
Optional: green gems
Basic craft supplies: adhesive, ruler, scissors, pencil
Pressing the Images with the BetterPress
For my pressed images, I chose to use the heavy linen paper that came with my Spellbinders BetterPress platform. Otherwise, I would have chosen a heavy watercolor paper since I will be using watercolor paints to color my pieces.
TIP: be sure to select a quality, thick paper for your pressed pieces if you are painting or coloring with alcohol markers.
Prepare the press pieces by placing them on the magnetic platform with some white space between them to allow for the border on the cutting dies. Use your ink pad to carefully ink the press plates, covering completely. Tape your paper to the inside of the acrylic top plate and place the plate onto the magnetic platform. Run through your die cutting machine, remove the top plate, and inspect the pressed images. If you missed any spots with ink, you can re-ink the plate and run it through the die cutting machine.
Remove the paper from the acrylic top plate. Place the metal cutting dies around each of the pressed images and use Washi tape to hold them into place. Run the pieces through your die cutting machine using your regular cutting platform (not the BetterPress platform).
Coloring the Pressed Pieces
Choose which medium you want to use to color your pieces. I chose watercolor paints for my images. I took my time, starting light and carefully layered the colors to build up the saturation. Dorothy was the hardest character to color since I wanted her dress to be plaid. To achieve the plaid look, I used a white gel pen after the paint was dry to draw the design onto the blue dress.
Assembling the Pop Up Card
Once your pieces are colored, it’s time to use them on a project! In the accompanying video tutorial below, I will use my four pieces to create an interactive pop-up card. Here are the pieces you will need for your card:
Outside of Card
Inside of Card
BetterPress Pop Up Card Tutorial by Kristine Woods
I hope this tutorial has inspired you to try something new – a new technique, a new medium, a new style! These BetterPress plates have definitely sparked my creativity and I’m so excited to try out some of my other ideas. If you have these press plates, we would love to see what you create with them. Please share them and tag Graphic 45 on social media so we can see your work! As always, happy crafting! ~Kristine
Ink lightly, press firmly. Too much ink can blur details—less is more.
Score carefully. Crisp scoring helps your pop-up mechanism fold smoothly.
Use foam tape for depth. Layering instantly elevates your final design.
Save your scraps! Small patterns from Wonder of Oz are perfect for accents.
Match your ribbon. Blue plaid adds a subtle nod to Dorothy’s dress.
This tutorial is all about trying new techniques, new mediums, and new styles. If you’re feeling inspired, grab your BetterPress plates and Wonder of Oz papers and craft along!
We’d love to see your creations—share them on social media and tag @Graphic 45 so we can cheer you on.
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Wishing you a merry, bright, and beautifully handmade holiday season.
Happy Papercrafting!
