Not all of us have the pleasure of starting off our morning at a quaint, Parisian café today, but we can dare to dream! And dream we shall. Gather up some pretty cardstock, put on Emily in Paris, and make this 3D café with me today.
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Watch a short video of me putting this project together on Instagram.
3D Café
Materials
- Cardstock
- Vellum
- Dura-Lar Film
- Hot Glue
- Precision Craft Glue or a Glue Stick
- Foam Tape optional
- Bone Folder optional
- A Cutting Machine or X-ACTO knife
- My Free Template
Instructions
- Use your cutting machine or X-ACTO knife, along with my template, to cut out all of your 3D café pieces.Note: If you are using the SVG files that includes the score lines, don’t forget to set them as such in Cricut Design Space and attach them to their shapes before sending them through your cutting machine. I used a lime green color to mark the score lines, so hopefully that helps! If you’re having trouble with the score lines, check out this video.
Layering the Pieces
- Start by layering the outer decorative pieces together. Then, glue the clear windows and vellum windows on the inside of the main structural piece.After that, glue all of the exterior, decorative pieces to the outside of the building, like so.
Assembling the Window Displays
- Layer together your itty bitty cakes with their cake stands.Then, take your two window display boxes (light yellow, in the design), and fold along the score lines. Use the tabs to connect the sides, and flare the tabs that are left outward.Place one chandelier and two cakes in each window display using foam tape.
Assembling the Structure
- Attach your two, completed window display boxes to the interior of your main structure, behind the clear windows.Fold the whole thing along the score lines, making the middle section pop outward.Take the two strips on top and fold the little tabs inward. Connect them to the curve of the half-circle.
- Take your back/roof piece and fold along the score lines. Carefully attach the whole thing to the rest of the structure, one tab at a time. I found it to be easiest to start with the half-circle piece, then the roof, and finish with the back.
- Next, take your four awning pieces. Attach the smaller, decorative piece to the front section.Take the longer yellow awning piece and fold along the score lines. Attach the tabs one or two at a time around the sides/top of the front awning piece.Then, glue the other, longer decorative piece on top of the awning. Use the tabs in the back to attach the whole thing to the front of the café, just above the door.
Finishing Touches
- Take the base and fold along the score lines. Attach the side together using the tabs.Line up the bottom tabs of your café structure with the slits in the base, and glue the tabs to the underside.Layer the pieces of the bicycle and the flower pots. Then, attach the flower pots to the sides of the building and the bicycle to the front, and your 3D café is complete!
Notes
View the full-size tutorial photos below.
Supplies
- Cardstock
- Vellum
- Dura-Lar Film
- Hot Glue
- Precision Craft Glue or a Glue Stick
- Foam Tape (optional)
- Bone Folder (optional)
- A Cutting Machine or X-ACTO knife
- My Free Template
How to Make It
1. Use your cutting machine or X-ACTO knife, along with my template, to cut out all of your 3D café pieces.
Note: If you are using the SVG files that includes the score lines, don’t forget to set them as such in Cricut Design Space and attach them to their shapes before sending them through your cutting machine. I used a lime green color to mark the score lines, so hopefully that helps! If you’re having trouble with the score lines, check out this video.
Layering the Pieces
2. Start by layering the outer decorative pieces together. Then, glue the clear windows and vellum windows on the inside of the main structural piece.
After that, glue all of the exterior, decorative pieces to the outside of the building, like so.
Assembling the Window Displays
3. Layer together your itty bitty cakes with their cake stands.
Then, take your two window display boxes (light yellow, in the design), and fold along the score lines. Use the tabs to connect the sides, and flare the tabs that are left outward.
Place one chandelier and two cakes in each window display using foam tape.
Assembling the Structure
4. Attach your two, completed window display boxes to the interior of your main structure, behind the clear windows.
Fold the whole thing along the score lines, making the middle section pop outward.
Take the two strips on top and fold the little tabs inward. Connect them to the curve of the half-circle.
5. Take your back/roof piece and fold along the score lines. Carefully attach the whole thing to the rest of the structure, one tab at a time. I found it to be easiest to start with the half-circle piece, then the roof, and finish with the back.
6. Next, take your four awning pieces. Attach the smaller, decorative piece to the front section.
Take the longer yellow awning piece and fold along the score lines. Attach the tabs one or two at a time around the sides/top of the front awning piece.
Then, glue the other, longer decorative piece on top of the awning. Use the tabs in the back to attach the whole thing to the front of the café, just above the door.
Finishing Touches
7. Take the base and fold along the score lines. Attach the side together using the tabs.
Line up the bottom tabs of your café structure with the slits in the base, and glue the tabs to the underside.
Layer the pieces of the bicycle and the flower pots. Then, attach the flower pots to the sides of the building and the bicycle to the front, and your 3D café is complete!
Buildings are one of my very favorite types of papercrafts to design! Implementing different architectural styles and adding my own little whimsical elements is just so much fun. Plus, it’s always great to play with colors that are a little bit fantastical compared to most buildings in the real world.
If you are curious, the blue patterned paper I used for this design came from a pack called Humble Abode and the yellow striped paper came from a pack called Fresh Air, by Park Lane—both of which I found at Joann’s.
I use Adobe Illustrator for all my designs, and a Cricut Maker to bring my creations to life. For tips on creating fun paper cuts like this one, see the FAQ section on my website. Also, be sure to check out the other fun freebies available on my blog!
Enjoy making this 3D café for yourself or for a friend! And, as always, be sure to share your finished results with me on Instagram.
*This post contains affiliate links. By clicking through my links to make a purchase, you are supporting this blog and the hard work that goes into providing free, quality designs.
Mandee is a professional graphic designer, amateur bird watcher, and rollercoaster enthusiast. She is a wife to hardworking high school teacher and mommy to three adorable little humans. She fell in love with graphic design when she started working on a comedy website with a guy she met her freshman year of college. Design wasn’t the only thing she fell in love with, and they were married a year and a half later. She created Designs By Miss Mandee to be a place where she could merge her passion for design with her lifelong love of crafting. 11 Comments on 3D Café – Intricate Cut Files
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Lois Bridges
June 7, 2023 at 6:21 am (1 year ago)I really appreciate people like you, that can make amazing crafts and then share with them with others . You are amazing. Thank you
Mandee
June 8, 2023 at 10:53 am (1 year ago)Aww, thank you so much for your kind words Lois!! 💕
Michelle
June 7, 2023 at 9:29 am (1 year ago)I love getting your emails and seeing what fantastic things you come up with! (And then I share the page link on Facebook so all my contacts see them too!) I seriously have at least 3 browser tabs with your projects open on my computer at all times. 😀
I can’t wait to try this sweet café project out! It’s absolutely adorable! Thank you for another fabulous project!
Mandee
June 8, 2023 at 10:55 am (1 year ago)Aww, you are too sweet Michelle! I am honored that my projects hold a place in your browser tab collection!!
Helen J Roberts
June 7, 2023 at 11:58 am (1 year ago)What an amazing little building. I am loving the details. Can’t wait to add to my Little Houses collection. Thank you, once again, for an adorable file.
Mandee
June 8, 2023 at 10:55 am (1 year ago)I’m so glad you like it Helen!! ❤️
auntie em
June 7, 2023 at 12:22 pm (1 year ago)This is so sweet! (no pun intended) All the sweet treats on display in the windows, the bike outside to take them home in the basket along with the bouquet and even flowers in the window boxes of the pretty little shop! You have thought of everything to make it perfect!
Thank you soooo much for sharing! 🙂
Mandee
June 8, 2023 at 10:56 am (1 year ago)Aww, I’m so glad that you like it Auntie Em!! It was fun to add all those little touches to this design.
Nicki
December 26, 2023 at 2:23 pm (9 months ago)Thank you so much for sharing! What kind of vellum did you use? It’s so pretty! I’ve been looking for a patterned one like yours, but haven’t been able to find any.
Mandee
December 26, 2023 at 2:48 pm (9 months ago)I just used a plain, translucent vellum for the front, center windows. The patterned paper I used came from a cardstock pack that I believe I bought from Joann’s. 🙂
Nicki
December 26, 2023 at 6:42 pm (9 months ago)Thank you for the quick reply. I recently discovered the joy of papercraft and your site. Looking forward to making a lot of goodies!