How to Make Graduation Slider Cards

LEARN HOW TO MAKE FUN GRADUATION SLIDER CARDS ON A CRICUT CUTTING MACHINE

This slider card is so fun and very customizable. I have used blue and golden yellow, or Maize, which coincidentally are not only my children's school colors but also the university I attended – The University of Michigan. You can use any school colors you wish!

In this tutorial, I’ll give you my step by step instructions and tell you what materials I think work best when making this project.

This free file can be found in the Free File Library for Free Members.

Basic and Premium Members can download the SVG cut file for this project in the File Library.

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GRADUATION SLIDER CARD – MATERIALS LIST

Congrats Grad Slider Card

Congrats Grad Slider Card

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy

This tutorial will show you how to make a fun slider card for graduation!

Materials

  • My FREE Congrats Grad Slider Card SVG Cut File
  • Cardstock
  • Glue
  • Foam squares (optional)

Tools

  • A way to cut out your cardstock. I am using my FABULOUS Cricut Maker but you can use a Cricut Explore series as well!
  • Cricut StandardGrip Cutting Mat (green)
  • Cricut Scoring Wheel or Stylus
  • Cricut Pen. I am using Geode.
  • Cricut Scraper
  • Cricut Brayer
  • Hot Glue Gun with glue sticks

Instructions

STEP 1 - DOWNLOAD THE SVG CUT FILE

Download the SVG Cut file for the Congrats Grad Slider Card (#123) from The File Vault. Get access by joining the club.

STEP 2 - UPLOAD THE SVG FILE TO CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

If you aren't familiar with uploading SVG files into Design Space, take a look at my quick and easy tutorial here. Using your smartphone? Click here for my step-by-step guide on uploading SVG files with the Cricut App.

STEP 3 - UNGROUP CARD LAYERS

The file will upload into Cricut Design Space grouped together. You will want to hit the UNGROUP button to separate the layers.

ungroup the design

STEP 4 - CONVERT FOLD LINES TO SCORE LINES

Scroll down the list in the LAYERS panel and find the card base. Click the fold line and change the fold lines to score lines by changing the OPERATION from BASIC CUT to SCORE.

find the fold line for the card bas and convert to score

Attach the score line and the card base by highlighting the GROUP the envelope is under and selecting the ATTACH option in lower right hand corner.

highlight the group and attach

Repeat this step for the slider piece.

find the score line for the slider piece and convert to scorehighlight the group and attach

Then, the four rosette pieces.

Now, find the pull tab. Select the text and change the line by changing the OPERATION from BASIC CUT to PEN. You can then change the color of the pen as you wish.

find the text for the pull tab and convert to pen

Attach the text and the pull tab together by highlighting the GROUP the card layer is under and selecting the ATTACH option in lower right hand corner.

highlight the group and attach

Repeat for the sentiment layer.

Click the GREEN Make It Button.

click the green make it button

STEP 5 - MAKE YOUR MATERIAL SELECTIONS AND PREPARE YOUR MATS

You will see the mats for this card in the mat preview.

Click the CONTINUE button.

click continue

For this tutorial, I am using Medium Cardstock. Select your materials accordingly.

make your material selections

Attach your cardstock to the Cricut StandardGrip Mat using the Cricut Brayer.

STEP 6 - LOADING YOUR MATS AND CUTTING YOUR MATERIALS

To load the mat into the machine, press the double arrows button. Do make sure that the mat is positioned under the mat guides.

to load the mat, press the flashing arrows

You will know the machine is ready to cut your material when you see the flashing "C" button. Press that to start the cut.

to begin the cut, press the flashing "C" button

Follow Design Space prompts to change out the scoring wheel, pen, and fine point cutting blade.

Once the cut is complete, make sure to peel the mat away from the cardstock rather than the cardstock from the mat. This will prevent any curling of your design.

Repeat Step 6 for until all layers have been cut.

STEP 7 - ASSEMBLE YOUR CARD

Now that everything is cut, we can start to assemble the card.

time to assemble

Begin by layering the diploma and graduation cap pieces.

layer the embellishments

Fold rosette pieces accodian style.

fold the long pieces like an accordian

Now, add glue to one end of the rosette and attach the second piece of the same color.

add glue to one endand attach the other piece of the same color

Add glue to the other end and attach the two, making one continuous piece.

add glue to the other end and attach the two making one circle

Start to fold the rosette flat while gathering the pleats. Eventually, the rosette will fall into shape. Please note: this can be a little tricky or frustrating. Just take your time, make sure the pleats are folded properly, and it will begin to take shape.

start to fold the sides down while gathering the pleats up

Once you have your rosette formed, add hot glue to the center hole. You will want to be holding the rosettes shape with the other hand. Add one of the embellishments on top of the glue.

add hot glue inside the hole in the center and around the top. add one of the embellishments

For more stability, I have included two circles in the download. Attach these circles with hot glue to the back of the rosette.

Repeat this for the second rosette.

Next, mat and layer the messaging panel and set aside.

mat and layer the messaging panel

Add the yellow mat to the blue base.

attach the yellow mat to the blue base

Then, attach the sentiment layer to the yellow mat. Make sure to center everything.

add the sentiment layer to the yellow mat

Fold and burnish the slider piece. With the pull tab cutout at the top, you will want the first fold as a valley fold, the second as a mountain fold, and the third as a valley fold.

fold the slider piece as shown

Flip the slider piece over and add glue to the tab at the bottom.

add glue to the tab on the slider piece

Flip the pull tab over and attach to the slider. Make sure to line up the edges.

attach the pull tab to the slider

Add glue to the left, right, and bottom sides of the slider and attach on top of the sentiment layer.

add glue on the left, right, and bottom sides of the slider pieceattach on top of the sentiment layer

Now that the rosettes have dried, pull the pull tab, raising the slider, and add the rosettes to the raised portion.

attach the rosettes to the slider

Fold and burnish the card base.

Add the messaging panel to the inside of the card base.

add the messaging panel to the inside of the card base

Finally, add the slider to the front of the card base.

attach the slider to the front of the card base

With the rosettes, the card is too bulky for a standard envelope. These will be perfect for my envelope boxes. You can find the tutorial here.

I am sure any graduate will love the time you took to create this fun card!

Post a photo in our Facebook group or tag me in your projects on social media @thebeardedhousewife using the hashtag #beardedhousewife! I’d love to see how yours turn out!!

WANT MORE FREE GRADUATION DESIGNS AND CUT FILES?

Some of my crafting buddies and I have come together to give you a total of 18 wonderful graduation cut files all for FREE! Check them out below!

  • Congrats Grad Card from Persia Lou
  • Graduation Hat Cake Topper from Crafting Overload
  • Class of 2022 from Studio Xtine
  • Dad of the Grad from Polka Dotted Blue Jay
  • Grad Cap from Me and My Inklings
  • I Understood the Assignment from Artsy-Fartsy Mama
  • The tassel was worth the hassle from Crafty Life Mom
  • You Did It! from Liz on Call
  • Proud Graduate from My Designs in the Chaos
  • Graduation Slider Cards from The Bearded Housewife
  • Senior Vibes from The Walnut Street House
  • Hey Look Ma, I Made It from Sunshine and Munchkins
  • And so the adventure begins from Lettered by Stephanie
  • Congrats flower pick from Craftara Creates
  • Class of 22 Cupcake Picks from Spot of Tea Designs
  • Class of 2022 from Simply Made Fun
  • Graduate Class of 2022 from Tried and True Creative
  • Congrats Grad Money Sleeve from Gina C. Creates
  • Happy Crafting!

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