Hoppy Birthday Card - Step by Step Tutorial

Hello I'm back again in Blogland to share my Papermilldirect DT make with you, this time a step by step Birthday card design with a fun frog theme.

This week I’m using a stamp & matching die set with spring coloured papermilldirect cardstocks to create a fun ‘Hoppy Birthday’ card.

Start by stamping a Lily Pad onto Papermilldirect Apple Green card using black Memento ink.  Then stamp the frog image onto PMD White Hammered card.

Colour the frog using a selection of First Edition marker pens, blending colours and adding some extra details with a white gel pen.

Carefully line up the matching die over the Lily Pad and Frog and cut out using your die cutter machine. (I find it easier to first cut a mask from scrap card and position this over the image so it is lined up, attach with washi tape and then secure die in place with washi tape to prevent it slipping).

 

Cut PMD White Hammered card approx. 4” x 5 ¼” and stamp ‘Hoppy’ in black ink towards the top left.  Stamp ‘birthday’ onto a strip of White Hammered card approx. ¾” wide.

Mat ‘Hoppy’ panel onto slightly larger piece of PMD Daffodil Yellow card using double sided tape.  Add 2 strips of washi tape across lower section and secure ends on the back. (I used a gold & white dotty pattern tape).

Score & fold PMD White Hammered card and trim down to create a 4 ½” x 5 ¾”card blank with fold across the top.

Stamp the flies using black ink to front panel then mount the panel onto the card base using double sided tape.  Cut ‘birthday’ strip into a fishtail end and adhere onto washi tape border.  Add the Lily Pad using 3D foam pads to give height.

Add the frog to card front using 3D foam pads so he looks to be hopping off to catch the flies.  Add a little pale colour to flies using marker pens and add extra details using a black fine liner pen.  Add 3 small green adhesive pearls to ‘birthday’ wording to complete the design.

I had fun making this little card and by stamping the lily pad onto an already coloured card stock it cut down on colouring time, although I did add a little shading using a green marker pen.  The frog is an easy design to colour.  I used marker colours of ‘Pistachio’ green, ‘Primrose’ and ‘Warm Yellow’ for the body.  The tongue is ‘Sorbet’ pink and a little ‘baby blue’ to the eyes of the frog and wings of the flies.

I really like this stamp set as it allows you to create your own little scenes along with some alternative sentiments.  The matching die set is nice to have but you could also cut out the shapes using scissors if you prefer.

Materials Used:
White Hammered Card – Papermilldirect
Daffodil Yellow Card – Papermilldirect
Apple Green Card – Papermilldirect
Hoppy Birthday II – stamp set – Clearly Besotted
Hoppy Birthday – die set – Clearly Besotted
Alcohol Craft Markers – First Edition
Tuxedo Black ink pad – Memento
Gold washi tape, green adhesive pearls
White Gel Pen, Black Fine Liner pen
Double Sided Tape, 3D Foam Pads

Giraffe Thank You Card using Digi Images - Step by Step Tutorial

Hello, hope you all had a lovely Easter, I have had a little break from blogging for a couple of weeks to enjoy the holiday time before my son went back to school, but I am back and ready to share a new card tutorial with you.  Sometimes it’s nice to have a few thank you cards already made ‘just in case’.  Today I’m following on from my last digi image card where I worked with a silhouette style, this time I’m printing and then colouring the image with alcohol marker pens.  I am printing onto Papermilldirect white linen card and using a free image from LC Designs (Little Claires) and also entering the Little Claires Blog Challenge #67 Anything Goes.

First visit LC Designs website (all links at end of post) to download your image, print off onto PMD White Linen card by first choosing how big you want the design (mine measures just under 4” dia.) and also select the quality of the print (I used fine).

Take the printed image and colour using your preferred medium, I used a selection of First Edition alcohol markers.  This is a simple image so you don’t need to get too worried about lots of shading, just colour however suits you.  When the image has been coloured, take a pale grey marker and outline to add extra definition. Highlights can be made with a white gel pen if you wish.

Take a circle die and place over the image, use tape to secure in place before die cutting. It doesn’t matter if you die cut before or after colouring. (or even halfway through as I have)

Take a piece of PMD Buff coloured card and die cut using a scalloped circle die that is slightly bigger than the image so that it leaves a nice border all around.  Mat image onto scalloped circle using d/s tape. 

From PMD Mandarin card die cut the ‘Thanks’ word die and emboss a rectangle of card using the ‘tiny mosaic’ folder. 

Trim embossed card to approx. 5” x 4” and round the corners using a corner rounder if you have one.  Score and fold an A4 sheet of PMD Plain White card and trim down to 5.5” square.  Position with fold across the top and round the bottom corners.  Using D/S tape to attach embossed panel to top of card.  Add image panel to card front using 3D foam pads.  Use a clear drying glue such as Cosmic Shimmer glue to adhered the ‘thanks’ to card front.  To finish add 3 small orange adhesive gem stones.

I do like the pop of colour from the mandarin orange card and the embossing folder is one of my favs for adding texture. Have you tried crafting with digital images before?  Don’t forget to share your makes over on the Papermilldirect Facebook page.

Challenges Entered:

Little Claires Monthly Blog Challenge #67 - Anything Goes

Materials Used:
Plain White Card – Papermilldirect
White Linen Card – Papermilldirect
Mandarin Card – Papermilldirect
Buff – Papermilldirect
Giraffe Free Digi – LC Designs (Little Claire)
Alcohol Marker pens – First Edition
Tiny Mosaic Embossing Folder – Cuttlebug (Provocraft)
Thanks word die – Clearly Besotted
Circles dies #657551 – Sizzix
Scallop Circles dies #657552 – Sizzix
Corner Rounder, d/s tape, 3D foam pads & adhesive gems