The aim of the pop-up card is to surprise or delight through the act of movement. Be it the rocking motion of a sprung vintage jack-in-the-box or the widening toothy grin of a smiling crocodile inside a birthday card, pop-ups can add a sense of whimsy to any occasion. They can be sophisticated too. Intricate papercuts of the likes of Rob Ryan can be carved from delicate box folds to create pop-up paper ornaments, and tab mechanisms can be used to mimic a cuckoo in a wall clock.

At the heart of pop-ups lie a few simple mechanisms, and no matter how complex the design, the pop can be achieved using one of the basic techniques. Paper Cut Cards covers all these techniques, such as essential folds, creating slots and tabs, as well as rotating discs and springs. Simple step-by-steps will guide any novice from paper crafter to paper engineer. Each technique is followed by a selection of projects that demonstrate its use, so crafters can build up skills and become confident enough to begin making their own pop-up designs. Templates for each project at the back also mean crafters can get stuck in straightaway if they want to. Whether you just love crafting or you want to make something special for an occasion, Paper Cut Cards has something for you. The 30 inspirational projects included offer a range of card designs for birthdays, weddings, and celebrations, as well as ornamental projects to put on display or gift to family and friends. Each design has been carefully thought out by one of the leading paper artists contributing to the book, following a successful collaboration on the papercraft book Send Something Beautiful.