Serving Up Cuteness: Panda Themed Food Cart! | Video Tutorial

Hey, crafty friends! I’ve got a super fun and unique project to share with you today — a panda-themed 3D food cart that’s just bursting with cuteness. I used the Food Cart Die Set, Hamburger Die Set, Panda-tastic Stamp Set, and Panda-tastic Pixi Cuts from Pixi Dust Designs to create this adorable little cart, and I have to say — I’m in love with how it turned out!

There’s something so satisfying about creating 3D projects like this. It takes a little more time than a card, but the end result is totally worth it. Plus, it’s surprisingly versatile — you can use it as a gift box, a party favor, or even as a cute piece of home decor. If you’ve ever struggled with assembling 3D projects or getting them to hold their shape, don’t worry — I’ve got some tips to help you out. Let’s dive in!

Serving Up Cuteness-Panda Themed Food Cart:

Building the Food Cart

I started with the Food Cart Die Set and cut out the top, bottom, and side panels from Slate Cardstock. This gave me a nice, sturdy base to work with. Slate is a great neutral color that makes the other details pop — plus, it helps hide any adhesive marks, which is always a win in my book.

For the canopy, I used Neenah Ultra Thick Cardstock to make sure it would hold its shape. A flimsy canopy would take away from the overall look, so using a heavyweight cardstock really makes a difference here.

Now, here’s where the fun comes in — the decorative details! I used pink textured cardstock for the front, back, and side panels, and for the canopy, I cut strips from pastel rainbow shades. The mix of soft colors against the slate base gave the whole cart such a fun, playful feel.

Pro Tip: When you’re working with multiple layers and colors like this, it’s helpful to lay everything out before gluing it down. That way, you can adjust the placement and make sure the balance of color looks right.

After cutting and scoring all the pieces, I used my bone folder to give the scored lines a good burnish. This step is key when you’re working on 3D projects — crisp folds make assembling the cart so much easier.

Assembling the Cart

Once everything was cut and prepped, it was time to put the cart together. I assembled the two bottom pieces first and added the two top pieces to create the base. Then, I attached the side panels to hold it all together. I used liquid glue for this because it gives you a little wiggle room to adjust the pieces before it sets — super helpful when you’re working with dimensional projects like this.

For the canopy, I attached the pastel rainbow strips to the top layer and then secured the canopy to the back part of the cart. It flips over onto the two pieces that stick out from the top, which means you could totally make this into a functional gift box!

If you want to make it more durable, you can reinforce the bottom by cutting extra small side panels and attaching them inside the cart. This will give it extra strength and help it hold heavier treats or small gifts.

Pro Tip: If you’re planning to use this as a gift box, adding a double layer of cardstock to the base will give it that extra sturdiness you need.

Adding the Panda and Sign

Let’s talk about the star of the show — the little panda! I stamped one of the pandas from the Panda-tastic Stamp Set in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink onto a scrap of Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80 lb Cardstock and colored him with my OLO Markers.

I kept the coloring simple — just a bit of shading to give him some dimension. I love how easy it is to bring these little critters to life with just a few strokes of color. Once he was colored, I added a bit of liquid glue to the bottom and attached him to the inside of the food cart so he’s peeking out.

For the sign, I used the Hamburger Die Set to cut out the hamburger sentiment from Matte Gold Cardstock. I layered it onto a base layer of Neenah Ultra Thick Cardstock and an inner layer of Slate Cardstock for contrast. Once the layers were glued together, I attached the sign to the top of the food cart.

Pro Tip: When you’re working with metallic cardstock like the matte gold I used here, try to avoid using a tape runner — liquid glue works better because it gives you time to adjust placement without damaging the shine of the cardstock.

Finishing Touches

To pull it all together, I added white gel pen highlights to the panda and the cart’s decorative pieces. It’s amazing how just a few highlights can make everything pop — it gives the whole project a polished, finished look.

I also added the pink layer to the front, back, and sides of the cart using liquid glue. This tied all the colors together and gave the cart a cohesive, balanced feel.

One of my favorite things about this project is how versatile it is. You could easily switch up the colors and theme for different occasions — think holiday-themed carts, birthday party favors, or even wedding decor.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

3D projects can be a little tricky at times, especially if you’re new to working with dies and dimensional pieces. Here are a few quick fixes for common problems:

• If the cart isn’t standing straight: Double-check your scored lines. If they aren’t crisp, it can throw off the alignment. Use a bone folder to press them down firmly.

• If the canopy isn’t lining up properly: Make sure you’ve attached it at the correct angle — using liquid glue gives you time to adjust before it sets.

• If the cart feels flimsy: Reinforce the bottom and sides with an extra layer of cardstock. This makes a huge difference in how sturdy the final piece feels.

Final Thoughts

This panda-themed food cart was such a fun project to make, and I love how it turned out! It’s the perfect mix of cute and practical — and it’s surprisingly easy to customize. Whether you’re making it as a gift box or just as a fun display piece, this is one project that’s sure to impress.

If you give this project a try, I’d love to see how yours turns out! Tag me on social media so I can check it out — and don’t forget to check out the video tutorial for even more tips and tricks.

Happy crafting!

Panda Themed Food Cart Video Tutorial:

If you have problems watching the video here on my blog you can always watch it on my YouTube Channel by Clicking here!

(Wondering what I used in this video? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails at the end of this post, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible). As always I appreciate your support of my videos!

Materials Used:

Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.

Happy Stampin'

Rick Adkins

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