February delivered another stunning kit from Paper Pumpkin. The kit makes nine full-sized birthday cards with pouch style envelopes that can be easily mailed. In addition, there is a large flower image that you’ll use again and again, a small flower, and a birthday cake along with several sentiments. There are copper foam sentiments that are so gorgeous you’ll wish you had more. If you didn’t do anything else with this kit but make the cards it would be a success. The image to the left shows the card examples made as designed. Lovely, right?
But of course, I had to mix it up. I have four alternates for you to consider that range from simple modifications to increasingly advanced designs. I’ll give you lots of details on how to replicate my cards, but this kit is one where you should feel free to experiment because it would be difficult to go wrong.
Simple Alternate
The first alternate card uses only the supplies in the kit except for some Pretty Peacock ink for the stamped “Birthday” sentiment. I started with the Rich Razzleberry card base. Next, I cut apart the card that opens horizontally into three pieces. The striped Rococo Rose piece, the x’ed Petal Pink piece and the back which is also striped. I added the narrow strip to the front of the card base. Ignore the slot for the tab closure, it gets covered up.
Next, I added the medallion that was punched out of the Pool Party card, it as a cool starburst shape and Pretty Peacock edge. Then I added the pre-punched rose using Dimensionals over the medallion. I stamped the Birthday sentiment in Pretty Peacock on one of the ribbon banners that I cut in half so I would end up with two small banners. I finished the card by tucking the banner under the edge of the rose, adding the wishes foam sentiment and some of the sequins. For a final touch, I stamped the small flower image on the envelope.
Happy Birthday to You Alternate
The next card uses a stamp set available as a reward during Sale-a-bration. Make a qualifying purchase and the Happy Birthday to You cling stamp set could be yours for free. This card starts with a base of Whisper White. On top of that is the inside of one of the pink pouch envelopes that I cut apart and then trimmed down to 4-1/8″ x 5-3/8″.
Next, I heat embossed the cake from Happy Birthday to You in copper. The preprinted piece has a lovely watercolor effect and some scattered texture that makes it easy to place the image and get a great look. Using the sentiment from the same set, I masked off the “Happy” part of Happy Birthday and added the Birthday part to the card in Rich Razzleberry ink. Again, the foam copper sentiment and some sequins from the kit finished of this fun card.
Shaker Alternate
The third card is almost a mandatory option with that lovely window. I used the stripe stamp to add color to the pre-printed cake slice in Rich Razzleberry. Then I remembered the Candle Embellishments from the Annual Catalog. One in silver was a lovely addon. I also supplemented my kit sequins with some ivory iridescent I had leftover from a holiday kit from a couple of years ago. I added a few more of them to the card front as well.
The piece of Window Sheet I used was 3″ square. With that small piece and some Foam Adhesive strips, it’s a piece of cake to make a shaker card. Remember the window closes the hole, the foam builds the well, add the sequins and seal with the image card. And don’t forget to raise up the entire front of the card on the same foam strips so it’s all the same height.
Lovely Day in Paris
In an effort to use up the last of the scraps from the card and envelope I cut apart, I decided to make a feminine card. I used the Parisian Beauty stamp set and matching dies from the mini catalog to make this ultra-feminine card.
Starting with the base of Whisper White, I added the back of the horizontal card but aligned the stripes vertically. I also stamped the fleur-de-lis strip in Rococo Rose along the top and bottom. Next, I took the Petal Pink piece and stamped the large flower from the Lovely Day kit in Rococo Rose all over it, rotating the image and making sure the image “falls off” the edge. This technique makes the paper look like it came from a larger printed piece and makes it look more finished.
The swirls are die cut from scraps of Champagne foil. The tower and the merci sentiment were die cut from the back of the envelope I cut apart. I stamped the tower image in Basic Gray and the image barely fit on one half of the envelope. I used the other half of that ribbon banner from the first alternate and stamped the sentiment in Rococo Rose. Finally, I added a few sequins from the Paper Pumpkin. The only thing I wish I had done was cut a second merci from the flap of the Rich Razzleberry side of the envelope. I could have added a bit of a shadow under the word and made it pop a bit more. C’est la vie.
This was such a fun class! I always leave with new ideas and inspiration to go home and create!