This Easter Egg Card cracks open for a Victorian "cheep thrill!"

(click here for a larger Easter Egg Card image)

This vintage-look Easter Egg Card follows the Victorian rule - everything is better with moving parts. Here, the two halves of the elaborate Easter egg open up to reveal a chick peeping out his Easter message.

The pivot mechanism on this card is a crimped grommet (or eyelet), but you can also use a small brad. The grommet allows you to add a bow by threading a knotted ribbon through the hole and tying it in front.

We sized the images for a 5" x 7" card, which fits a standard A7 (5.25" x 7.25") envelope. A jumbo egg, to be sure.

The classic Easter vintage images include a "scrap" Easter egg, and a postcard, circa 1912. They are yours for FREE as a PDF download. Just click on the "vintage images" link in the list of materials below.

Materials for this Easter Egg Card

• Vintage Images (FREE PDF download).
• Matte photo or presentation paper, or white cardstock (see Tips).
• Ribbon, narrow pink satin, about 18".
• Grommet and grommet-setting tool (see Tips).
• Hole punch, 1/8".
• Scissors.
• Detail scissors or craft knife (and cutting mat).
• Butterfly clips or large paper clips.
• Antiquing ink, like Tim Holtz Distress Ink (optional).

Instructions

1. Print the vintage images on matte photo paper, heavy presentation paper, or white cardstock. using detail scissors, cut out the two eggs and the chick. When cutting out the eggs, you only need to trim completely around the left side of one egg, and the right side of the other. when cutting out the chick, cut away the legs and gently round the feathered edges.
   
   
2. Stack the two egg images, placing the left-side-trimmed egg on the bottom and the right-side-trimmed egg on the top. Hold the top point of both eggs with one hand, as a pivot point. With your other hand, pivot the top egg image about 3/4" to the right. Hold the egg images in this position with butterfly clips or large paper clips on the right and left sides.
3. Cut a jagged line from the center bottom edge, where the two eggs overlap, to the top center pivot point. Remove the clips, discard the untrimmed halves, and align the two trimmed egg-half images. They should overlap about 3/4" inches at the bottom, diminishing to no overlap at the top.
4. If you wish, antique the edges of egg halves and the chick with distressing ink applied with a cosmetic sponge or tissue.
   
   
5. Carefully align the egg halves so they make an unbroken image on the front. Clip these together with paper clips and turn them face down. Place the chick image, face down, on the back, aligning the bottom edges. Punch a 1/8" hole centered near the bottom where the three layers of images overlap.
   
   
6. Install a grommet through this hole from the front, crimping it on the back. The egg halves should rotate freely on the grommet.
7. Tie a double knot in the center of the 18" of pink ribbon. Thread both ends of the ribbon through the center of the grommet from the back of the card until the knot is tight against the grommet. Tie a simple bow on the front and trim the tails of the ribbon.
   
   
8. Write your greeting on the back of your Easter Egg Card. Happy Easter!

Tips

• Premium matte photo paper or presentation paper will give you the best image reproduction, but it may be a lighter weight card than you prefer. In this case, you can print directly onto a high quality white cardstock. Alternatively, you can print the images on photo paper, then mount the photo paper on cardstock with spray adhesive before cutting.
• We used a 5/16" (hole) grommet, but anything around that size will do. If you don't have a grommet, then a small brad will work. Just punch a 1/8" hole first, so the paper can rotate on the brad. If you use a brad, you can glue a small ribbon bow on the front head.