Step-by-Step Projects & Inspiration: Started
Project Instructions
Crafting Joy: The Bella Carta Blog
Hi There!
I LOVE paper crafting! Over the years I've found a few tips and tricks to enjoy it even more.
Below are Tutorials, FAQs, Blog articles and other resources that I hope will help you get the most out of paper crafting, whether you are a newbie or an "old hand" at working with paper.
Laura
3D Paper Crafting & SVGs Made Easy (Tech & Fundamentals)
Projects & Inspiration
I’ve made all the "rookie" mistakes so you don’t have to! To help you go from "What does this button do?" to a total pro, I’ve put together the seven most important things I’ve learned on my journey. Grab a cup of coffee (or tea!), and let's dive in.
Walk with me through the process of designing an adorable train pop-up card. Although the process was frustrating at times, the end result is that it will be a joyful assembly for you. Here is a look at the road to "READY".
Discover these five brilliant tricks to make interactive and captivating pop-up cards. Learn what designs are the best, paper to use; perfecting folds; what glue to use; and how to put all the right finishing touches on a pop-up card to delight those you love.
What if I told you there was a simple solution to getting more "flow" in your life? Enter paper crafting. Not only is it a creative outlet, but it can also lead you to a state of "flow", which can lead to greater calm and even happiness. In this article, we'll dive into the connection between paper crafting and flow, explore the benefits of finding your flow, and provide techniques for staying present during the crafting process. So grab some paper – let's get started!
Many of you have asked about the best papers to use for our pop-up designs, so I've put together a handy guide based on my own experiences. In this quick read, you'll discover why acid-free paper is a must for long-lasting cards, and how the right cardstock weight can make all the difference in your projects. I'll also share my love for textured paper and how it can add an extra dimension to your creations. Plus, you'll learn why I always keep some high-quality glitter and metallic cardstock in my stash, despite their challenges.
Pop-up cards are a delightful way to add surprise and dimension to your handmade greetings. With a little cutting, folding, and creativity, you can create eye-catching cards that your friends and family will treasure.
The holiday season is the perfect time to add a special, personalized touch to your greetings. With Bella Carta Design's easy-to-make SVG templates for your cutting machine (like Cricut or Silhouette), you can create professional-quality, beautiful cards that your friends and family will cherish. Forget generic store-bought cards—a handmade greeting instantly makes the recipient feel special and adds a memorable touch to your holiday wishes.
Ready to ditch the flimsy store-bought tags? With the Bella Carta Design Printable Watercolor Christmas Tags you can create stunning, layered gift tags right at home. This project prints and cuts folded Christmas tags featuring four beautiful layered watercolor images.
Here’s a quick guide to using your cutting machine and bringing these beautiful printable gift tags to life!
I’ve often been accused of being born 100 years too late! I’m Laura, and I’ve spent years mathematically perfecting "Simulated Embossing" so you can skip the frustration and go straight to the joy. I’ve done the engineering; you do the heart-work. Let’s move from frazzled to flow by building luxury textures, layer by layer. Ready to experience the "Joy of the Stack"?
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
1 In Cricut Design Space open a new project first. 2 Click the green “New Project” button.\ 3 Select the “Upload” option. 4 Click the “Upload Image” button. 5 Click the “Browse” button, select the file and click “Open” or drag and drop a file onto the page. 6 A picture of the file is shown under “Prepare to Upload”. Click the “Upload” button. 7 Click the file picture you want and click “Add to Canvas”. 8 This will load the template into your new project in Design Space. You can now follow my template instructions to complete the project.
If you have a Cricut machine with a scoring tool, you will need to do a little prep work before the designs will score correctly.
1 In Cricut Design Space ungroup all the grouped objects down to the grouped score lines.
2 Select each score line and change their "operation" to SCORE in the options at the top of the project space.
3 Now attach each set of score lines to their respective cutting piece.
4 Check if all score lines are attached correctly by going to "Make". If there is a red mat with only lines on it, this means there are score lines that still need to be attached to their pieces.
This red mat just means that you need to do a little prep work before the designs will score correctly by your Cricut.
1 In Cricut Design Space ungroup all the grouped objects down to the grouped score lines.
2 Select each score line and change their "operation" to SCORE in the options at the top of the project space.
3 Now attach each set of score lines to their respective cutting piece.
4 Check if all score lines are attached correctly by going to "Make". If there is a red mat with only lines on it, this means there are score lines that still need to be attached to their pieces.
Some Scan N Cut users have received the error message "ERRS09" in Canvas Workspace when importing some SVG files. I am working on resolving this issue. The only workaround I know of is to open the SVG file in another application, such as the free vector design program, Inkscape. Then print out each piece of the design and scan them into your Scan N Cut.
Project Instructions
click below to find instructions to make our 3D SVG projects.
Tutorial: Butterfly Pop-Up Card
Don’t know where to start when you need a really awesome interactive card for someone special? Check out my stunning Butterfly Pop-Up Card. Watch me assemble it in this 90 second YouTube video.
Tutorial: Butterfly Gift Box
Laura’s Kindness Corner
Welcome to Laura's Kindness Corner! Grab your favorite mug, settle in, and let's talk about something wonderful: using our paper-crafting passion to genuinely make the world a better place. If you've ever felt that little pull to do more with your gorgeous card stash, you're in the perfect spot! This is your go-to resource for turning your crafting table into a kindness assembly line. You'll find easy how-to guides, inspirational stories, and all the verified organizations—like Cardz for Kidz and Bring Smiles to Seniors—that are just waiting for your beautiful handmade cards. Let's start spreading some real, tangible joy together!