Sweet and Simple Birthday Card Ideas

Sep 16, 2020 | Birthday, Die Cut, Rubbernecker | 2 comments

Even though I love to make cards with loads of little details, sometimes I like to share simple birthday card ideas for those times when you need to make a card in a hurry. This one fits the bill and the cheerful colors – which of COURSE are changeable! – and the simple birthday wish means you can send it to anyone and make their day!  I made this card using the Balloons die set and the sentiment is from the Kittie Says Phrases #1.

handmade greeting card Simple Birthday Card Ideas shown as a bunch of balloons and a simple greeting

The A2 Card Base and Sentiment Layer

  • Cut the card base and sentiment layer using white cardstock and red cardstock for the layer.
  • Stamp the sentiment using Nocturne ink.
  • Apply strips of mounting tape to the back of the sentiment layer and attach it to the red layer.
  • Attach both layers to the card base using ATG adhesive.

 

and example of Simple Birthday Card Ideas for handmade greeting cards using die cut balloons and stamped greeting

The Balloons and Bow

  • Cut the balloons out three times using red, yellow and blue cardstock.
  • Apply pieces of mounting tape to the back of each balloon and attach them to the card.
  • Tie a multi loop bow using red organdy ribbon. Note:  Check out my ribbon tying video tutorial to see how I make my multi-loop bows.
  • Attach the bow to the balloons using glue dots.

Simple Birthday Card Ideas for handmade greeting cards using die cut balloons and small ribbon bow

I shared another very simple birthday card on my blog yesterday.  If you like to make birthday cards that are way more intricate and detailed check out my Birthday Cake post.  

Here are the products I used to make this card.

 
5319-03D Balloons Die
[ RBB ]
3308 Kittie Says Phrases #1
[ RBB ]
 

 
Amazon.com: Ben Collection 1/4″ X 50…
[ AMZUS ]
VersaFine Clair Ink Pad, Nocturne
[ ELH ]
Mini Glossy Accents, Ranger Accents
[ ELH ]
Scotch Foam Mounting Tape
[ ELH ]
ATG Kit, Advanced Tape Glider
[ ELH ]
Teflon Bone Folder, Essentials by Ellen
[ ELH ]
Scor-Pal Measuring & Scoring Board 12×12
[ ELH ]
Crossover II Fabric & Paper Cutting…
[ RBB ]
Clear Acrylic Block 3.25″ X 4.25″…
[ ELH ]
 

I encourage you to save this on Pinterest or wherever else you would save simple birthday card ideas because I am confident that once you make ONE of these, you will want to make more!

Use Negative Die Cuts To Make Fun Details!

Sep 15, 2020 | Clean and Simple, Die Cut, Rubbernecker | 4 comments

Today I am sharing a clean and simple card that uses negative die cuts to add a level of detail that LOOKS extra fun and takes SECONDS to create! I guarantee you will start seeing all kinds of new creative possibilities when you look at your cardmaking dies after you check this out!  To make this card I used the Rubbernecker Nested Rectangle Scallop, Star Burst and Fireworks, Balloons and the sentiment is from the Kittie Says Phrases #1 set.

A handmade greeting card showing Negative Die Cuts used to make see-through windows forming fireworks

The Card Base and Negative Die Cut Layer

  • Cut an A2 sized card base and scallop layer using white cardstock.
  • Place the scallop layer on the cutting platform and lay the Fireworks dies on the layer and run through the machine. Note:  These dies are made without an outer cutting edge and are intended to cut a design out of a solid piece of cardstock.
  • Cut a piece of red cardstock large enough to fit behind the die cut openings and attach it to the card base using ATG adhesive.
  • Apply strips of mounting tape to the back of the scallop layer and attach it to the card base.

Negative Die Cuts on a handmade greeting card making fireworks

The Balloon and Sentiment

  • Cut a white strip of cardstock about an inch tall and cut the edges using the rectangle scallop die.
  • Stamp the sentiment using Nocturne ink.
  • Apply a strip of mounting tape to the back of the sentiment piece and attach it to the card front.
  • Cut the balloon using red cardstock.
  • Create a small gold bow using metallic gold string and attach it to the balloon using glossy accents.  Note:  The gold string doesn’t like adhesive very much so I apply a good amount of glossy accents and allow several minutes for it to dry well to make sure the bow has adhered to the balloon.
  • Apply a piece of mounting tape to the back of the balloon and attach it to the card front.

A handmade birthday card showing the use of Negative Die Cuts to create a design element

Here are the products used for this card.

 
Nested Rectangle Scallop Die Cut 5028D
[ RBB ]
5319-04D Star Bursts/Fireworks Die
[ RBB ]
5319-03D Balloons Die
[ RBB ]
3308 Kittie Says Phrases #1
[ RBB ]
 

 
String by the Spool – Metallic Gold,…
[ ELH ]
VersaFine Clair Ink Pad, Nocturne
[ ELH ]
Mini Glossy Accents, Ranger Accents
[ ELH ]
Scotch Foam Mounting Tape
[ ELH ]
ATG Kit, Advanced Tape Glider
[ ELH ]
Teflon Bone Folder, Essentials by Ellen
[ ELH ]
Scor-Pal Measuring & Scoring Board 12×12
[ ELH ]
Crossover II Fabric & Paper Cutting…
[ RBB ]
Clear Acrylic Block 3.25″ X 4.25″…
[ ELH ]
 

Does this give you some ideas on how you can use negative die cuts in your cardmaking? Are you seeing all kinds of new possibilities? Let me know – I LOVE to hear what you think!

How To Shape Paper Flowers

Sep 13, 2020 | Die Cut, Flowers, Rubbernecker | 2 comments

Today I want to share with you a quick lesson on how to shape paper flowers. Flower dies are fantastic for adding either focal elements or little details to your cards and giving them some shape is not only pretty easy to do, it adds a TON of detail with not a lot of work.

To make this card I used the Rubbernecker Organic Shapable Posy, Nested Rectangle Scallop with Holes, Rectangle Combo OPC #3 and Kittie Says Phrases #1.

A multi-layered handmade greeting card featuring elements to show how to shape paper flowers

The Card Base and Frames

  • Cut an A2 card base and Scallop Rectangle layer using white cardstock.
  • Use white cardstock to cut two sets of the Rectangle Combo frames.
  • Apply strips of mounting tape to the back of the scalloped rectangle layer and attach it to the card base.
  • Turn each of the two sets of inner frame sections from the Rectangle Combo die face down and attach them together using double stick tape.
  • Apply mounting tape to the back of one frame section and attach it to the card base.
  • Apply strips of mounting tape to the second set of frames and attach it over the first frame set.  Note:  Layering the frames with mounting tape adds dimension and interest to the this clean and simple card.

This handmade greeting card features an example of how to shape paper flowers using cardmaking die cuts

The Flower and Sentiment

  • Use pink cardstock to cut four sections of the flower layers and green cardstock to cut one stem layer.
  • Place the flower sections face down on the molding pad and form the petals by pushing down and rolling the large round stylus over the petals.  Check out my Paper Flower Shaping videos on my tutorial page to see how I use a stylus and molding pad to shape my flowers.
  • Attach the flower layers together using glossy accents and then attach them to the stem.
  • Gently form the small flower buds using the stylus and molding pad and attach them to the stem using glossy accents.
  • Apply a strip of mounting tape to the back of the flower stem and a large piece to the back of the flower and attach it to the card base.
  • Stamp the sentiment on the oval section from the Rectangle Combo using black ink and attach it to the card base using mounting tape.

A white on white with pink bouquet handmande greeting card that shows how to shape paper flowers

Here are the products used to make this card.

 
Nested Rectangle Scallop w/ Holes 5141D
[ RBB ]
5218D Rectangle Combo OPC #3 Die Cut
[ RBB ]
5301-02D Organic Shapable Posy Die
[ RBB ]
3308 Kittie Says Phrases #1
[ RBB ]
 

 
VersaFine Clair Ink Pad, Nocturne
[ ELH ]
Sizzix – Paper Sculpting Kit
[ SBC ]
Amazon.com: McGill Paper Blossoms…
[ AMZUS ]
Mini Glossy Accents, Ranger Accents
[ ELH ]
Scotch Foam Mounting Tape
[ ELH ]
ATG Kit, Advanced Tape Glider
[ ELH ]
Teflon Bone Folder, Essentials by Ellen
[ ELH ]
Scor-Pal Measuring & Scoring Board 12×12
[ ELH ]
Crossover II Fabric & Paper Cutting…
[ RBB ]
Clear Acrylic Block, 2.5 Round w/…
[ ELH ]
 

Now that you know how to shape paper flowers, I encourage you to give it a try. Even adding just a little curl or a little curve to a die cut flower can make it really pop and I am betting you are going to get addicted to this fun technique!