Pop-up cards are fun, three-dimensional projects that use simple tools: paper, scissors and maybe a little glue and crayons. Here's a design you can dress up for your special sweetie, or keep simple to produce dozens of classroom cards.

As a craft-challenged parent, I planned out this project with just one pop-up element: a bee, which we've provided here to make it easier on you, too. If you've got spatial-relationship skills I don't, feel free to cut several pop-up "flower" folds and create a stand-up garden. Even better, check out this website for other pop-up projects, including some great basic instructions.

instructions

1. Cut out your bee. (This might be a good project for a younger child while an adult cuts the pop-out, as described below.)
2. Fold the 8.5-by-5.5-inch piece of white card stock in half, making a small card.
3. At roughly the midpoint of the folded side of the card, make two cuts, spacing the cuts about a half an inch apart. Don't cut all the way through the card; stop slicing about halfway through.
4. Open the card and pull/push the cut strip through to the inside.
5. With the strip pulled through, close the card, collapsing the cut strip at its fold.
6. Re-open the card and stick your bee onto the top of the folded pop-up strip.
7. Add a sentiment to the card below the pop-up, as well as other drawings, stickers or embellishments.
8. Glue the colored piece of construction paper to the outside of the card stock to hide the pop-up strip's cutaway.
9. Address your card to your valentine and make someone's day.

materials

• 8.5-by-11-inch, white card stock, cut in half to make 8.5-by-5.5-inch rectangles
• 8.5-by-11-inch colored paper, cut in half to make 8.5-by-5.5-inch rectangles
• Scissors
• Markers, crayons, paints or colored pencils
• Glue
• Provided bee illustration above, or draw your own