Have you ever made a wiper card?
This was my first one, and oh my goodness, what a fun way to make a holiday card extra special! I used the Hero Arts Parade Day Collection to create a snowy city scene with a little surprise.
When you open the card, the Santa balloon pops up! How cute is that?!
Assemble This! Videos are more detailed as we create this card together step-by-step. You’ll get all my tips and tricks to inspire your next card. Watch on YouTube.
Featured Supplies
 Big Fun Die Set HA | SBC |
 In the City Stamp & Cut HA | SBC |
 The Holiday Season Stamp & Cut HA | SBC |
 Celebration Plate SB | SBC |
 Prisim Hot Foil SB | SBC |
 Glimmer II Hot Foil System SB | SBC |
 ColorWheel Cardstock HA | SB | SBC |
Some links include affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for the referral but at no cost to you. I greatly appreciate the support should you choose to shop via my links. Full list of supplies at the bottom of this post.
Let’s Get This Parade Started!
I wanted this holiday wiper card to look like a Christmas parade making its way through the city. I started with a soft blue background and used the Celebration foil plate with Prism foil to add just a hint of iridescent snowfall. Then I created the skyline with the In the City stamp set, mixing buildings with detailed windows and softer silhouettes to give the city a little depth. I finished the skyline with that big gray building from the Big Fun die set. I love how all those buildings look together, especially with the snowy sky peeking through!
One little detail took some adjusting. Instead of placing the greeting on the front of the card, I thought it would be fun to have it pop up with Santa. I stamped a sentiment from The Holiday Season, but it sat just a little higher than the skyline when the card was closed. So, I strategically placed that tallest building to help hide it.
Now for the fun part! When you pull the card open, the Santa balloon pops up above the city with the holiday greeting right beside him. I used the Big Fun dies to piece Santa together and kept the rest of the scene in soft blues and grays so that bright red balloon would really stand out. I just love how the card goes from a quiet snowy city scene to Santa making his grand entrance! That’s what makes this interactive fold so much fun.
Wiper Card Base
If you’d like to recreate this holiday wiper card, here’s how I made the interactive base that holds the pop-up Santa. The Big Fun die set includes all the pieces you need, making assembly super easy! But if you don’t have the dies, I’ve included approximate measurements so you can make your own.
How to Make the Wiper Card Base
- Cut the main card panel. Start with a piece of cardstock measuring 5 3/4″ × 8 1/4″.
- Score the folds. With the 5 3/4″ edge across the top, score at 4 1/4″ and 5″. These folds help create the interactive movement.
- Make the horizontal cut. Cut across the cardstock at 5 1/2″ to create the two pieces of the card base.
- Attach the bottom panel. Fold along the score lines and glue the bottom panel to the right side of the card base, leaving the left side open for the wiper mechanism.
- Add the wiper mechanism. The mechanism is 1.75″ x 0.6875″ with scored triangles on both sides. Position the folded mechanism piece and glue only the right triangle of the first fold in place. Make sure it is all the way up to the top edge.
- Attach the acetate strip. The strip is 2.5″ x 0.6875″ with the bottom cut at an angle. Glue the clear acetate strip to the left triangle of the mechanism, then fold the flap over to sandwich it in place. This strip holds the Santa balloon and allows it to pop up above the skyline.
- Test and close the card base. Open and close the card to make sure the wiper moves smoothly. Once everything is working, glue the left side of the bottom panel in place.
- Finish the pop-up. Attach the Santa balloon and stamped sentiment to the acetate strip. Arrange the skyline to disguise the mechanism and hide the sentiment when the card is closed.
A little tip: Always test your interactive mechanism before committing to glue. It’s much easier to make adjustments while everything is still loose!
For my first wiper card, I’m pretty tickled with how this one turned out! There’s just something so fun about opening a card and having a little surprise pop up. I can definitely see myself trying this fold again with other stamps and occasions.
Have you made a wiper card before, or have I tempted you to give one a try?
Thank you for joining me today. I sincerely hope that today’s project inspires you. If you create something, feel free to tag me, @dahlhousedesigns, on social media. I would be thrilled to see it and leave you some love.
Supplies
Some links provided are affiliate links. If you shop through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a lovely way to support both the crafty companies and me too. 🩷
Please Note: Product names with ** are suggested supply substitutions if I use something discontinued or hard to find.
Color Wheel Cardstock Colors: Alabaster | Classic White | Pomegranate | Raven | Beeswax | Windy | Anchor
Big Fun Die Set HA | SBC |
In the City Stamp & Cut HA | SBC |
The Holiday Season Stamp & Cut HA | SBC |
Celebration Plate SB | SBC |
Prism Hot Foil SB | SBC |
Glimmer II Hot Foil System SB | SBC |
ColorWheel Cardstock HA | SB | SBC |
 Acetate Sheets SBC |
 Soft Stone SBC | OTH |
 Neutrals Core Ink HA | SBC |
 Tumbled Glass Oxide SBC | AMZ |
 Sand Eraser AMZ |
 Adhesive Eraser SBC | AMZ |
Most Used Tools
 Platinum 6 Die Cutting Machine SB | OTH |
 Magnetic Magic Mat SB |
 Black Stamping Tool SB |
 Blending Brushes AMZ |
Blending Brushes Large AMZ |
 Blending Brushes Medium AMZ |
 Blending Brushes Mini AMZ |
 Blending Brushes Small AMZ |
 Cutter Bee Scissors SB | SSS |
 Die Cut Envelopes AMZ |
 Foam Roll – 2 Inch SB |
 Foam Roll Combo Pack SB |
 Grip Mat 4.75×6 AMZ |
 Grip Mat 6.5×8.5 AMZ |
 Grip Mat 6×6 AMZ |
 Mini Blending Brushes AMZ |
 Mini Trimmer SB |
 MISTI – Mini SB | SSS |
 MISTI – Original SB | SSS |
 MISTI – Original – Black SB |
 MISTI Corners SB | AMZ |
 1.5″ block SB | OTH |
 Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive SB |
 Post It Note Tape AMZ |
 Reverse Tweezers SB |
 Sticky Mat SB |
 Triangle Trays AMZ |
 White Gel Pens SB | AMZ |
 White Glass Mat AMZ |
 Media Mat Mini SB | SSS |
 Mini Stencil Mat** SB |
