Simple birthday cards

Birthday cards are always good to have in your stash, so I made a few.  I used the Young at Heart stamp set and dies from one of the Stamp of Approval collections to create a colourful card front.  

I masked off a strip on the card front for the sentiment and stamped a pattern around with the circle stamps using Catherine Pooler Designs inks.  I added an embossed line on each side of the sentiment strip and used the fine tip of a Tim Holtz distress marker to trace either side of the embossed line.  

The last step was to add a die cut sentiment on the card front and a stamped sentiment on the inside.

Sympathy cards

Sympathy cards

Unfortunately, we all need a sympathy card now and then.  I used Birch Press Designs layering dies to create a white-on-white (on white) background and simply added an Avery Elle “with sympathy” die cut, keeping the design very simple.  I added a short, simple sentiment to the inside of the card from the matching Avery Elle stamp set to finish it off.

And a close up that shows the beautiful design of the layering dies.

Foiled cards

I decided to do a set of foil cards for something a little different.  

I used Sookwang double-sided tape in 1/8, ¼, and ½ inch widths, adhering it to the cards either horizontally or vertically (see below).  Then, I used a variety of foils (Deco-foil & Gina K Designs) and, in one case Nuvo Guilding Flakes, to create a pattern on the card front.  

I then added a sentiment to each card from the Gina K Foil Mates.  

The last step was to add sentiments to the inside of the cards using the Young at Heart stamp set by Cas-ual Fridays.

The second version is similar, but I made a couple of changes -  diagonal lines for the pattern and gilding flakes instead of foil.  I like how a simple pattern change makes such a different look.