Nothing to see here, just a couple of unassuming Victorian wedding portraits…with a dark side. There’s more to this papercraft than meets the eye. When you push the tabs down it becomes clear that these newlyweds won’t exactly “be heading” down a road of marital bliss. Get the templates and learn how to make these eerie, Halloween picture-changing cards!
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The original idea that I had for this design was based on the changing portraits in the Haunted Mansion queue line. Though, when I had the idea, I wasn’t exactly sure how to make it a reality. I had a rough concept in my mind, but when I found this tutorial on YouTube, I realized that there was a much better way to make this idea come to life!
I’m not going to lie, even with that tutorial, this project required a lot of trial and error! Many sheets of nice cardstock made their way into the recycling bin with this one. But, the good news is that now I officially know how to make a picture-changing card that is truly magical. And, if I ever want to recreate this effect in the future it will be 100 times easier!
Halloween Picture-Changing Cards
Materials
- Cardstock
- Precision Craft Glue or a Glue Stick
- Foam Tape
- Bone Folder optional
- Decorative Gems optional
- A Printer
- 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 the pieces for your Halloween picture-changing cards.
Assembling the Picture-Changing Mechanism
- Start by taking your larger, more haunting portrait piece, and place it on top of the smaller one (the one that has a bat attached to it). Take the loose, left ends of your four strips and, one by one, slide them into the corresponding slits in the back piece.Once each of those strips is inserted, shimmy the back card into place. Test the picture-changing effect to make sure it works correctly.
Assembling the Decorative Pieces
- Gather your three decorative front pieces. Add some glue to the spiderweb boarder and attach it to the perimeter of the rectangle. Glue the decorative frame around the hole in the center.With those in place, take your picture-changing card and add some glue around the perimeter, but make sure not to glue the portrait itself or the slits next to it. Attach the entire decorative piece to the front.
Finishing Touches
- Attach the little bat pieces to the front and back of the pull tab.Take some foam tape and attach a strip to the right side, left side, and bottom of your card.Attach your backing card to your foam tape and your spooky, picture-changing cards are complete!
Video
Notes
View the full-size tutorial photos below.
Supplies
- Cardstock
- Precision Craft Glue or a Glue Stick
- Foam Tape
- Bone Folder (optional)
- Decorative Gems (optional)
- A Printer
- 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 the pieces for your Halloween picture-changing cards.
Assembling the Picture-Changing Mechanism
2. Start by taking your larger, more haunting portrait piece, and place it on top of the smaller one (the one that has a bat attached to it). Take the loose, left ends of your four strips and, one by one, slide them into the corresponding slits in the back piece.
Once each of those strips is inserted, shimmy the back card into place. Test the picture-changing effect to make sure it works correctly.
Assembling the Decorative Pieces
3. Gather your three decorative front pieces. Add some glue to the spiderweb boarder and attach it to the perimeter of the rectangle. Glue the decorative frame around the hole in the center.
With those in place, take your picture-changing card and add some glue around the perimeter, but make sure not to glue the portrait itself or the slits next to it. Attach the entire decorative piece to the front.
Finishing Touches
4. Attach the little bat pieces to the front and back of the pull tab.
Take some foam tape and attach a strip to the right side, left side, and bottom of your card.
Attach your backing card to your foam tape and your spooky, picture-changing cards are complete!
I mentioned that the original concept for this project came from the Haunted Mansion; well, you may have deduced that the final portraits were inspired by a Haunted Mansion story as well. A bride whose husband mysteriously loses his head—sounds a little like Constance Hatchaway, don’t you think?
I won’t spoil it, but I made sure to include a couple of fun details in the dark bridal portrait that Haunted Mansion fans will likely notice. If you don’t catch them in my photos, be sure to give it a closer look when you download the design!
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 these haunting, Halloween picture-changing cards for yourself or for a friend! I’d love to see your results, so be sure to share them with me by either tagging me on Instagram or by sharing your work in my Facebook Group.
*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. 9 Comments on Halloween Picture-Changing Cards
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Shirl
September 7, 2023 at 6:28 am (3 months ago)So cool! What are the dimensions for the strips and how many should we cut?
Shirl
September 7, 2023 at 6:39 am (3 months ago)So Sorry Miss Mandee! I figured it out! I was loading the pictures in wrong from my folder! All good. Am making these cards now! Thank you!
Mandee
September 7, 2023 at 9:42 am (3 months ago)Glad you got it figured out!! Have fun putting these together. ☺️
Katrina
September 7, 2023 at 6:30 am (3 months ago)These are so awesome. I’m planning on making them for a 50th Halloween Birthday party to sit on a table. Thank you so much for your creativity and generosity. Have a great day!
Mandee
September 7, 2023 at 9:42 am (3 months ago)Ooo, your guests are going to love them!! Have fun with this one. 🖤
Serafina DeBennett
September 7, 2023 at 7:31 am (3 months ago)I love it as always great job Mandee!!! I love your stuff!! I love seeing new stuff in my email! Thank you!
Mandee
September 7, 2023 at 9:43 am (3 months ago)Thank you so much Serafina! I’m so glad that my designs can brighten you day! 💕
Anne
September 7, 2023 at 2:04 pm (3 months ago)Très très sympa cette carte. Merci pour le fichier et le tuto.
Mandee
September 12, 2023 at 1:51 pm (3 months ago)You are very welcome Anne! I’m glad you like them. 🙂