VIDEO: Simple Birthday Cards with Erica

Hi guys!

It's Erica back on the WOW! Embossing blog today, with a couple of simple but impactful birthday cards. I've used the masculine colour scheme that is this month's WOW! Fans Facebook challenge theme, but I love blues and teals so that was no hardship at all. The masculine theme, which is what I struggle with, was easier to navigate around using these colours.

It started out as only one card, the navy one, but eh.. I have a tendency of going off-plan in the craft room so that was hardly no surprise. I used the Brushed Stripe Background from Concord & 9th for both, but in slightly different ways. On the first card I stamped it up with Midnight ink on a card stock directly, and then heat embossed over that with Metallic Gold Rich. Not right across over it though, I moved the card up a bit in the MISTI and then dabbed the Embossing Pad on the stamp and stamped again.

I used the fast setting on the embossing powder and wow (pun intended!) The powder melted so fast! Check it out in the VIDEO that is up on the WOW! Embossing YouTube channel.

To finish off the card I first tried stamping a happy birthday sentiment on Midnight card stock with Opaque Bright White super fine embossing powder. However, I must have been man-handling that card stock something fierce because even with an anti-static tool, the powder stuck to the card stock all over. I ended up re-stamping the sentiment with Midnight ink on white card stock and then using Clear Gloss embossing powder over that instead. The piece that didn't work out, ended up being used as a backing piece instead, to frame the banner.

I did feel that the card needed something else, it was a little bit too bare with just the banner. I ended up cutting out a big H from white card stock, I shaded it with a little bit of Midnight ink and then dabbed the Embossing Pad on the right sides of it and added Metallic Gold Rich on that too. With all those pieces done, I put it together with some liquid glue and the card was done.

On a piece of card stock I ink blended some aqua to teal inks and then used the Brushed Stripe Background on top of that, with the Embossing Pad and Platinum embossing powder. It goes perfectly with these colours.

This card I finished off slightly differently, by cutting out that same H in a turquoise and aqua card stock, and layered these up slightly off to create a shadow look. On a white banner I stamped up the same happy birthday and cut out another turquoise card stock, to shadow it a little bit differently than the first card.

These cards took nearly no time, but will make the recipient feel special. That's what we want, isn't it?

Well, that's it from me for today. Don't forget that there is still time to play in the Facebook group monthly challenge to be in with a chance to win a £15/$15 gift voucher to the WOW! Shop.

Lots of love from Erica and happy crafting!