How to Make 3D Layered Greetings Cards with your Cricut

Take your card making skills to the next level by crafting gorgeous 3D layered greetings cards with your Cricut machine.

One of the first SVGs I ever designed was this layered “Thank You” card. Even to this day, it’s one of the most downloaded SVGs on my whole blog!

I was asked recently to design some matching cards with different phrases on the front. So, here they are!

There are now four designs to choose from:

1. Thank You
2. Happy Birthday
3. Love You
4. Just for You

Each layered card SVG has three separate layers.

The first layer is the wording plus a collection of pretty flowers around the edge. The second layer outlines the words and fills in the middle of the flowers so you can add some colour. The bottom layer is the card blank itself with a score line so you know where to fold it.

Video tutorial: 3D layered cards with a Cricut

Watch the video below to find out how to cut and assembly these pretty Cricut cards. Or, keep scrolling for a written tutorial.

3D layered card materials

Here is a list of the materials that I used to make these cards.

Please note that some of the links included in this article are affiliate links, which means that if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.

• Free SVG design (scroll up to find the download box)
• Digital cutting machine such as a Cricut Maker
• Light grip cutting mat
• Cricut scoring wheel or scoring stylus (optional but so helpful!)
• Craft card in different colours (I use 160gsm card)
• 3D foam pads
• Glue (optional) – I use this glue for all my papercraft projects

Easy layered greeting cards for all occasions

Here’s how to cut and assemble my free layered greeting card SVG files.

Download and unzip the free SVGs using the box at the top of the page.

After download, you’ll need to unzip the folder. How you do this is different depending on the type of computer or mobile device you are using.

• How to unzip folder on Windows computers
• How to unzip folders on Mac computers
• How to unzip folders on iPads/iPhones
• How to unzip folders on Android devices

Step 2: Upload the SVG into Cricut Design Space

Open Design Space and create a new Project.

Click “Upload” and then “Upload image”.

Find the card SVG that you want to use. All my SVG files start with SVG_ in the filename and end in .svg so make sure you are uploading the correct file, otherwise it will not work.

This part is REALLY important, because the other files won’t load in Design Space. You MUST select the one which starts SVG_ in the filename.

Here’s an example of how my SVG files look when you view the filenames:

After selecting the file, click “Upload image” and then the card will appear under the heading that says “Recently Uploaded Images”. Click the card and then press “Insert images”.

The card should load into Design Space at the correct size. They have been designed to make a 5×7 inch card.

You can resize them if you want to make a smaller or larger card.

Step 3: Check the Score Line

The score line should load in to Design Space already attached to the base layer of the card.

It should look like this in your layers panel:

As you can see, the Score line is set and it’s Attached to the main card blank layer underneath which tells your Cricut that you want to score down the middle of the card.

If your layers panel looks like the above screenshot, move straight on to Step 4.

If your layers panel does not say “score” next to the single line, click the layer and then change the “cut type” to Draw.

Likewise, if the score line does not say that it is “Attached” to the main card layer then you’ll need to do that. Click the score line layer in the layers panel and then press Ctrl or Shift on your keyboard and select the card base. With both layers selected, click the “Attach” button.

Now, your layers should look like how they did in my original screenshot above, where the score line is set to “Score” and it is attached to the card base layer underneath.

TIP: If you don’t have a Cricut scoring wheel or scoring stylus then you need to click the score line layer in the layers panel and delete it. You can still make the card without the score line, you will just need to be careful when folding it that you do so in the correct place.

Step 4: Re-colour the layers

I like to colour the layers in Design Space to match the card that I’m thinking of using. It’s a quick way to test out colour combinations on the screen before committing to cutting them out.

To recolour a layer, click on it in the layers panel and then select the colour tool along the top.

This opens a little window with many colours to choose from. Click the desired colour and your layer will update to the new colour.

For even more colour choices, click “Advanced” in the colour window and then you can choose from thousands of different colours and shades.

Step 5: Cut the layered greeting card SVG

When you’re happy with the size and colour of the card, click “Make It”.

This will split all the colours out into individual mats.

Change the paper size for each colour in the dropdowns on the left.

Click “Continue” and then choose your material type.

The setting to choose will vary based on the thickness of the card that you will be cutting. 160gsm paper tends to cut well with the light or medium cardstock setting but any thicker and I’ll use medium or heavy.

Follow the instructions on-screen to cut out all the different pieces of card.

Tip: When taking the card off the mat, turn the mat upside down and peel the mat away from the card. Use one hand to keep the card pressed flat against your work surface. This ensures the card stays flat when it comes of the mat.

Step 6: Stick the layers together

Fold the based card in half along the score line.

Then, use 3D foam pads to stick all the layers of the card together.

I started by putting foam pads on the bottom of the second layer and then sticking it to the base card. Be sure to use a good amount of foam all around the edge and place some pieces in the middle of the card too. This stops the card “sagging” in the middle as you are building in some support for it.

Carefully line up the middle layer against one edge of the base card. Gently place it down on the card and check you’re happy with the positioning. If not, carefully pick it up and try again.

When it’s all lined up, press down to stick the foam pads.

You can use foam pads or glue for the top layer. Glue can be easier as it gets thin/narrow in places, but I prefer to use foam as it gives more depth to the card.

Make sure your foam doesn’t go outside of the card, otherwise you will see it peeking through the gaps when you turn it around.

Stick the top layer onto your card to finish it off.

And that’s all there is to it!

I love how quick and easy these layered cards are to put together.

I left my cards like this, but you could add extra embellishments or toppers to them to make them even more personal and special.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to make layered greetings cards with a Cricut.

If you’d like to make more layered projects, check out my free layered SVGs – there are loads to choose from and new designs are added regularly!

Happy crafting,
Sarah x