How to Make a Birthday Cake Pop up Card (Robert Sabuda Method)

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Last Updated: April 22, 2022

Not only can you make someone's day by sending them a handmade, pop-up greeting card, but you can also mail several out as birthday party invitations, or place them on the table to show where each guest will be seated. Your homemade card an instantly memorable and unique gift you can make yourself. What's better than that?

Steps

Click here to get the image. (Or you can click on the image at right.) Right click on the image and select "View Image" (for Macs, CTRL click and click "Open Image in New Window"). From there, print out the image on a heavyweight paper, like cardstock or construction paper.
Right click or CTRL click again to see the image in a separate window, and from there print out the pop-up pieces for the cake on another sheet of heavy paper.

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Do this on the center of the card with the rounded end of a paper clip (or a ballpoint pen that has run out of ink). Use a ruler as a guide. Go all the way from the top to the bottom of the card.
of all the pop-up pieces.
Follow the solid, black lines.
Follow the solid, black lines. Do not cut the dotted lines - those are fold lines you'll use later.
Don't color the cake yet.
Fold away from you, along the center dotted line.
After you've creased it, return the tab to its original position.
After you've creased it, return tab to its original position.
While holding the lower section still with your right hand, fold back the top section with your left.
The two candles in the center are pushed back away from you while the two candles on the ends are coming towards you.
This is so that you do not see any of the black dotted lines on the finished product.
Lay the cake down flat and carefully fold the right tab up along the dotted line and crease. Leave the tab in this position.
Leave the tab in this position.
Leave the tab in this position.
Fold it up along the dotted line and crease. Leave the tab in this position.
Apply white glue. Don't use too much glue or it will show through. Apply it first to the left angled area closest to the center of the card.
Press the candles' tabs into the glue. Make sure that the center dotted line on the candles matches the center dotted line on the card. Let the glue dry for 2 or 3 minutes.
You may need to help the candles fold down for this first time.
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Press the tabs into the glue. Make sure that the center crease line matches the center dotted line on the card. Let the glue dry for 2 or 3 minutes.
You might have to help the cake fold in the first time. Open and close the card a few times to test the pop-up.

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Question

How can we fold the candles? And where do we get the pictures?

Community Answer

Just fold along the dotted lines, or try to be as accurate as you can if you don't have those. Follow the link in step 1 to get the pictures (we just noticed that the link was not working - it will be replaced shortly).

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Question

What if I can't print the cake template? Am I able to draw it?

Higuysitsme122

Community Answer

You can actually draw it but make sure that all the lines are symmetrical and that you do it properly.

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Tips

Fold all the creases very tightly so that the card folds flat.

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For invitations, color each card differently and put guests' names on the cake itself.

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For a birthday party, take a small picture of the birthday child, and paste it to the outside of one of the sides of the cake, and another picture of the group of children who attended. This will give attendees a nice memento from the party.

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Warnings

Be careful when using scissors.

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Things You'll Need

Construction paper or heavy or cardstock paper
Ruler
Paper clip, ballpoint pen without ink, or lead pencil with no lead out (you may use either one)
Scissors
A glue stick or sellotape
Art supplies of choice to decorate finished (optional)
Any colour glitter (optional)