Birthdays are For the Birds

this fella is dropping by to bring birthday wishes - and balloons!

5/10/20233 min read

Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You'll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencil I used from A Colorful Life Designs . Follow the link below and use discount code ChrisFan10 to save 10% on your entire order! (Master Creator Bundles are excluded as they already have a 20% discount built in.)

Getting Started:

card base: 5.5 x 8.5, scored and folded at 4.25

card face: 5.25 x 4

one piece of scrap cardstock for the bird and each balloon

Card Face:

I secured the Split Square stencil on the card face, and used a red ink with a light hand, allowing the ink to be lighter in some spots and heavier in others. (Some creators like a smooth application, but I tend to prefer the visual interest provided by varying ink density.)

I cleaned off the stencil and flipped it over - because this stencil is symmetrical the parts I had inked were now covered, and the parts which had been covered were now exposed.

I brought in the Woven Stripes background stamp, inked it up and applied it firmly to the paper. (with the stencil in place, additional pressure was needed to ensure contact between the stamp and the paper.)

I spritzed the card face with water, giving an irregular, hand drawn feel to those stripes.

I took a metallic gold gel pen and added details : X's and dots running down the center , and dashes between the diagonal red lines on the right. I also used this pen to outline the rectangles in the middle of the pattern.

I added a bit of metallic gold spatter.

I prepped the card face with anti-static powder, put it in my stamp positioner and stamped the sentiment with black pigment ink. Then I added clear embossing powder, brought in my (preheated) heat gun and melted the powder.

*** Pigment ink stays wet long enough to create a sticky surface for embossing powder, and can be used instead of versamark.

Other: I stamped and coloured the bird and the two balloons, using Memento Ink and alcohol markers and then I cut them out.

Assembly:

I glued the card face to the card base, aligning the two at the top and on the left: I thought this asymmetry worked well with the crazy bird image.

I experimented with placement, and then stamped the strings for the balloons to the right of the card. The bird and the two balloons were glued in place. I touched the eyes on the bird with a black glaze pen for additional 'pop', and added a few touches to the balloon strings with a black microliner.

Final Thoughts: I love these little birds, and I think that the combination of bird, stamp and stencil work well together. I don't think the metallic ink added much to the final product, and I would omit that another time.

Supplies: (links provided where possible)

Stencil: Split Square, A Colorful Life Designs

Stamps:

sentiment: Happy Thoughts, A Colorful Life Designs

Bird and Balloons: Mini Bird Crazy and Things: Amazon, Scrapbook.com, Simon Says Stamp

Woven Stripes Background stamp: Altenew, Scrapbook.com, , Simon Says Stamp

Dye Based Ink: Stampin' Up!

Blending Brushes: Stampin' Up!

Memento Ink: Stampin' Up!, Amazon, Simon Says Stamp

Alcohol Markers

Stampin' Blends: Stampin' Up

Copic Sketch Markers: DeSerres, The Papercrafters Workshop, Simon Says Stamp