Changing Picture Birthday Card

This adorable cutie is my mother when she was 2 years old.  She recently turned 75 (although she’s as youthful and active as a 30 year old!), and I thought this “Changing Picture” card was perfect for her birthday.  When you pull the tab, the photo “magically” transforms from her toddler photo to her present day photo.

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

I first saw this project in a book called Making Mechanical Cards by Sheila Sturrock.  (She calls it the “Venetian Blind Variation” Technique and includes the needed templates to copy and cut out.)  Sara Sandberg did a video tutorial HERE of this technique which I found very helpful.  On her site, she includes all the templates for this project in a variety of file formats (including svg files, studio cut files, and pdf files for hand-cutting).

I originally watched her video on YouTube and didn’t see her templates so I created my own cut files using the templates that are included in the book.  After I was done my card, I discovered her website!  Ugh!!!  Anyway, it worked out ok because the first time I tried to make this card, I glued my photos on the photocopied templates as suggested.  I was having a hard time making the photos slide/change smoothly; the edges kept getting caught.  When I created my cut files, I did it as a “print and cut” and printed the photos directly onto the templates.  The photos slid much more smoothly this time around.

My photos were about 2 3/8″ x 2 3/8″ (about 6cm x 6cm).  (I think she recommends a 5cm square photo with her templates.)  The green panel with the cupcakes is called “Birthday Wishes” from the “It’s Your Day!” collection by Nikki Sivils.  The printed frame was made with digital paper from a set called “Birthday Digital Paper” by GraceGraphicDesign which I purchased on Etsy.  The white frames were made with a cut file from the “4 Vintage Frames (Design #24374)” set by Lori Whitlock which I purchased from the Silhouette Store and were cut with my Silhouette.  The pink center strip is Gina K Innocent Pink card stock and was embossed with a Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder.  I used a heavy weight white card base to make it easier to push and pull the tab without bending the card.

Thanks for checking out my card project!

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