Easy Spinner Cards: Add Movement to Your Handmade Cards

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Have you ever made a card that actually moves? This week for Stamp with Me Tuesday, we’re making spinner cards! And while the basic spinner mechanism is pretty simple, there are lots of different ways you can use it.

For the first two cards, I created a traditional circular track using nesting dies. But I didn’t stop there! I also experimented with zigzag and straight tracks to make the focal images move across the card instead of simply around a circle.
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I have four spinner card ideas to share, from cute Halloween ghosts to a masculine milestone birthday card. Once you see how the basic mechanism works, I think you’ll start looking at your dies a little differently!

How to Make an Easy Spinner Card

The secret behind a spinner card is creating a channel with enough room for a small mechanism to move freely.

For a traditional circular spinner card, I used two nesting dies from the Stylish Shapes Dies. Cut two nested shapes to create a narrow channel. The outer card front and the positive shape from the center are both attached with Stampin’ Dimensionals, leaving the channel open between them.

For the actual spinner, you’ll need a penny or a penny-sized circle of cardstock. Place a Mini Stampin’ Dimensional on the penny or cardstock circle and slip the dimensional through the channel from behind. Your stamped or die-cut image attaches to the exposed dimensional on the front.

Now give the card a little tilt and watch your image spin around the track!

For my samples, I used up to three spinners on a card, but you certainly don’t have to. One spinner works perfectly, too.
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Basic Spinner Card Supplies

• Cardstock: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"
• Cardstock: 4" x 5 1/4"
• Nesting shape dies, such as the Stylish Shapes Dies
• 3 pennies or penny-shaped cardstock pieces
• Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Additional cardstock, ink, and adhesive to finish your card

Halloween Ghost Spinner Card

Okay, how cute are these little ghosts spinning around the card?

For this Halloween spinner card, I used the Oh My Fright Bundle with the Frightfully Fun Times Designer Series Paper. I cut the circular track with the Stylish Shapes Dies and added three little ghosts that can travel around the “Boo to You” sentiment in the center.
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This is a fun example of how you can add more than one moving piece to your spinner card. Instead of having one image circle the sentiment, you get three little ghosts floating around it!

Simply Leaves Thank You Spinner Card

Spinner cards definitely aren’t just for cute critters! For this thank you card, I used the Simply Leaves Bundle with the Mixed Up Patterns Designer Series Paper.

I stamped the leaves in Crisp Cantaloupe, Golden Glow, and Pumpkin Pie for a warm color combination. The little leaves spin around the “I’m grateful for your kindness” sentiment in the center.

I finished the card with three Sunset Sparkle Sequins for a little extra sparkle.
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And if the Simply Leaves Bundle looks familiar, there’s a reason! This is the bundle I’ll be using for my August Online Card Class. If you earned the class make n’ take kit with a $100 order in July, we’ll be making three more cards with this bundle during the class.

Hot Foil Butterfly Spinner Card

Now, here’s where I started playing around with the basic spinner card technique.

Who says your spinner needs to go around in a circle?
For this hello card, I used the Butterfly Flight Hot Foil Die Bundle and silver foil to create the butterfly. I colored it with the coordinating masks using Pumpkin Pie, Golden Glow, and Daffodil Delight.

For the Shaded Spruce background, I stamped the Sweet Foliage image with Shaded Spruce ink on Shaded Spruce cardstock. Then I used a Dark Shaded Spruce Stampin’ Blend to color the leaves. I also added silver foiled dots with the Swiss Dots Hot Foil Die.

But the really fun part is the track!

I used a die from the Bordered in Beauty Dies twice to cut two parallel zigzag lines. Then I snipped between the ends of those lines to remove the cardstock and create a zigzag channel. The butterfly can travel back and forth along the track while spinning as it moves.
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The silver-foiled “Just a Little Hello” sentiment was created with the Sweetly Sentimental Hot Foil Dies.

This opens up so many possibilities for interactive card making. Start looking at your border and edge dies and see what kinds of tracks you can create!

Masculine 50th Birthday Spinner Card

For my final spinner card, I went with a more masculine look and created a 50th birthday card using the Gears & Textures stamps and dies.

I stamped the background in Gray Granite ink on Gray Granite cardstock and die cut the large gear from foil. One of the dies from Gears & Textures was perfect for cutting the straight track across the card front.

The large cog can travel back and forth along that track - and because it’s a gear, the spinning movement is especially fun!

I used the Sweetly Sentimental Hot Foil Dies for the “Cheers to You!” sentiment and the Luxe Alphabet & Numbers Hot Foil Dies to foil the “50” on black cardstock.
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Of course, there’s nothing that says this has to be a 50th birthday card. Change the numbers and you could create a spinner card for just about any milestone birthday.

Look at Your Dies in a New Way

Once you understand the basic spinner card mechanism, you can do so much more than cut two circles.

Look through the dies you already have and think about what could create a track. Border dies, decorative edges, straight openings, ovals, squares and other shapes can all give you different possibilities for adding movement to your handmade cards.

Then think about what should move. Butterflies can flutter, leaves can swirl, gears can spin, ghosts can float — and that’s just the beginning!
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That little bit of interaction makes these cards extra fun for the person receiving them without requiring a complicated mechanism.

Get the Free Spinner Card Project Sheet

Want to try this rubber stamping technique yourself? I’ve put together a free downloadable project sheet with the basic measurements and supplies you need to create your own spinner card.

Get the FREE Project Sheet

Once you have the basic card figured out, dig through your Stampin’ Up!® stamps and dies and see what you can make spin!

And if you love having more card making ideas ready to go, don’t forget about my Creativity Made Simple customer freebie. When you place a $50 order through me, you’ll receive this month’s Creativity Made Simple collection filled with even more paper crafting inspiration.

Shop Stampin' Up! with Me

I’d love to know what you’d put on a spinner card. A butterfly? A flower? Maybe something completely unexpected? Give this technique a try and have some fun making your cards move!