Gettin' My Birthday On...

January is a great time to do a Birthday Stamper's Dozen. Then, when a birthday sneaks up on you, you'll have a great stash to pull from! Here's one of the four designs we made at a recent Stamper's Dozen class I held. I called this the "gender neutral" card, but I think it leans a little more to the feminine side. Although, the pink square can flip over and become a more masculine design of circles on white. I think a comment may have passed my lips that went like this, "And if you really want to make it masculine, you can add a bee stamp. Bee's are prickly, like men". Ahem. Maybe that's not a true statement for all men, but my husband has a 5 o'clock shadow about 2 hours after he shaves. Must be the Italian in him ;)

Anyways, getting back on track! I sponged using a Stampin' Sponge cut into eight wedges (for my frugal-self) with Basic Gray on the edges of all four pieces of Twitterpated Designer Series Paper (DSP), the Basic Gray scallop square (cut with the Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine) and  the center 2.5" square of Whisper White. Then, I stamped the main image of a birdcage from the Nature Walk stamp set in Basic Gray and the more grassy-like image in Pear Pizzazz which I stamped off once first to make it a little more subtle. I punched two of the 4 petal flower from the Itty Bitty Punch pack in Riding Hood Red and added a Basic Pearl to each, folded the petals for some added dimension and adhered using Multipurpose Liquid glue. A quick spritz with the Color Spritzer tool with my Basic Black marker and there she be!

I felt like the card front looked nice as is and didn't really want to add a sentiment out there so....

I opened 'er up and stamped off once using the frame from Elementary Elegance (A Sale-a-Bration stamp set) and then stamped the "Happy Birthday" using Basic Gray full strength. I love being able to use the same colour and getting a different look just by stamping off on scrap paper once or twice. The "Happy Birthday" stands out enough to be noticed but the frame is a subtle background and can be written over if you tend to be a wordy-birthday-card-writer. Is there anyone else who dislikes writing in cards? I always feel like I have to fill up the WHOLE space so I start printing REALLY big! With stamps, I can stamp away and fill up some of that space leaving me the ability to write a sweet, succinct message :) Yay!!

Hope you've enjoyed the post today!

Happy Stamping,

Tamara

Stampin' Supplies: Items are found the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalogue unless otherwise stated

Stamp Sets: Nature Walk, Elementary Elegance (SAB Catalogue)

Card Stock: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Twitterpated DSP (Occasions Mini Catalogue)

Ink: Basic Gray Classic Ink, Basic Black Marker

Tools: Big Shot Die-cutting Machine, Scallop Squares Duo Bigz Die, Itty Bitty Punch pack

Accessories: Basic Pearls, Stampin' Sponge, Colour Spritzer Tool