Birthday Balloons (and Bucks) Bridge Card

Birthday Balloons (and Bucks) Bridge Card

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This card features a fun card base, a few die cuts… and some bucks!  I was looking for a fun way to present a monetary gift as part of a card layout and had been meaning to try a bridge card with this (unbranded/no longer available?) “Happy Birthday” die (which is actually supposed to make a birthday hat).

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The cake was adapted from an svg file called “Birthday Elements” from svgcuts.  The balloons were made from an unbranded die I found online.  And the flames were cut with the Karen Burniston Cake Pop-Up Die (#1028).

To create this card base which is 5″ x 7″ when folded, I used a 10 1/2″ x 5″ piece of card stock scored at 1 3/4″, 3 1/2″, 7″, and 8 3/4″ and folded as shown:

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There is plenty of room on the back for a stamped or handwritten sentiment and signature.  This card, with the money, folds flat (kind of).  It fits in a regular A7 size envelope but is a little bulky and would require a trip to the post office if mailed – if you are comfortable mailing cash.

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And here’s a version without the money.  (This one does fold flat, but some may argue it’s not quite as fun to receive – lol!)

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Thanks for checking out my card project!

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Safari Birthday Box Card with Tutorial

Safari Birthday Box Card with Tutorial

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I really like box cards because they have so much dimension for displaying, but they fold flat for mailing.  They are even better when you have adorable images to work with!  (I’ve included a tutorial at the end of this post for creating the box card base.)

The stamp set is called “Safari Friends” and was included (a free gift) in the April 2017 issue of Papercraft Essentials magazine (issue 145).  (I was lucky enough to find this set on ebay.)

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I created cut files for the images with my Silhouette electronic die cutting machine, stamped them with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, and colored them with Bic Alcohol Markers.  I also used a few colored pencils for the boy’s and girl’s skin.

The patterned paper I used to decorate the box is from a digital set called “Zoo Visit” by Scrapbook Gems and was purchased on Etsy.  There is room on the back for a stamped or handwritten message.

This card is 5 x 7 inches when folded flat and easily fits in a regular envelope for mailing.

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This card was a lot of fun to make!

If interested in seeing how to make a box card… Continue reading →

Faux Pressed Flower Embossing Technique

Faux Pressed Flower Embossing Technique

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Here is another quick and easy card I did using the “Faux Pressed Flower” technique that I mentioned in my last post.  First, you adhere your die cut to a piece of card stock or paper.  Then, you place it in an embossing folder and run it through your die cutting/embossing machine.  It creates cool texture on the die cut and makes it look like it is part of the card stock or paper it is stuck to.  An embossing folder with a small, detailed pattern works best for this technique.

And here’s one with partial embossing and “faux pressed” balloons instead of flowers.

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Thanks for checking out my card projects!

CAS Embossed Birthday Wishes – 4 variations

CAS Embossed Birthday Wishes – 4 variations

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I have so many embossing folders and rarely think to use them.  And if I do, I find myself using the same few.  I chose one I had not yet used (the Cuttlebug “Happy Birthday” folder by Provocraft) and thought I’d play around with some different techniques I have been wanting to try.

Double Embossing

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It’s hard to see the shimmer in the photo above, but for this first one, the background was heat embossed with Stampendous Kaleidoscope embossing powder as well as dry embossed.  I used a brayer to apply versamark ink to the front side of the embossing folder, inserted white card stock in the folder, and ran it through my Cuttlebug.  I then covered the panel with the embossing powder and heated it.

This angle shows the sparkle a little better:

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The greeting was cut with dies from the Spellbinders “Birthday Wishes” set (#661868) and Gina K Passionate Pink card stock.  (I saw this technique HERE on YouTube.)

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Partial Embossing

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This partially embossed sample is similar to my “Scripty Balloon Birthday Card” which I made earlier this year.  I used my score board to separate my greeting from the embossed side of the panel.  (HERE is a video showing how to do this technique.)

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Inlay Technique

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Inlay is a technique where one “inserts pieces of contrasting, often coloured materials into depressions in a base object to form ornament or pictures,” (from Oxford Companion to the Decorative Arts).  For this sample, I used small embossed panels in the openings of a die cut frame.  The frame die was unmarked.  The greeting stamp was from the “Massive Messages” set by Gina K Designs and was stamped with GK Passionate Pink ink.  I embossed the background panel with the embossing folder as well.

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Faux Pressed Flower Technique

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The layout of this fourth one is similar to that of the first sample, but the technique used is different.  For this one, I did the “Faux Pressed Flower” technique.  You adhere your die cut (usually a flower; I used a greeting) to a (flat) piece of card stock.  (Make sure all parts of the die cut are glued down.)  Then, you place it in an embossing folder and run it through your die cutting/embossing machine.  It creates cool texture on the die cut and makes it look like it is part of the card stock it is stuck to.  I used the “Retro Triangles” embossing folder by mpress.  (Any embossing folder with a small, detailed pattern will work for this technique.)  After my greeting panel was embossed, I cut it to size with a die from the Spellbinders “ATC” set (#S3-208).

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After my aunt passed away a year and a half ago, I was fortunate enough to receive all of the stuff from her “Cuttlebug Station” from her craft room.  The “Birthday Wishes” die set and “Happy Birthday” embossing folder were hers, and I really enjoyed using tools that she had also used.  Recently, I spent a fun afternoon searching online for the names of all the unmarked dies and embossing folders from her stash which led me to tons of card samples and tutorials that I am anxious to try.  She continues to inspire me even though she is no longer here!

Thanks for checking out my card projects!

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