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Sweet 16 Birthday Pop Up Card

This card has a fascinating pop up mechanism. The two outside candles fold forward toward the cake and the two inner candles fold backwards toward the 16. When it collapses you can't believe the candles can possibly fit inside the cake!

pop up birthday cake

Here's the plain paper mock-up. The light gray pattern is the original, printed from Robert Sabuda's site. Changes in black.

pop up birthday cake
Here's how I made it.

First, I changed the angle of the inner candles a little so they wouldn't hide the 16 I wanted to add.

pop up birthday cake

Here are the pieces of the cake: blue cake, velum swirl overlay, embossed paper icing. I cut off the icing pieces on the original pattern because I wanted to use a different paper, and added the velum. It is just glued down around the edges, all of which are covered when it's done.

pop up birthday cake

Candle fold out and flames.

pop up birthday cake

Pop up support. Numbers cut from self stick paper. The foil photographs a little weird, it's actually blue and purple to the eye.

pop up birthday cake
Assembling cake and candles.
pop up birthday cake
Attaching icing.
pop up birthday cake
pop up birthday cake
The outside of the card says Happy Birthday in a bunch of different fonts and sizes.
pop up birthday cake
A look at the backside of the pop up mechanism.
pop up birthday cake
The inside of the finished card.
pop up birthday cake
Nick Eng sent me a picture of one he made. Love the dog!