Happy Birthday with Alcohol Ink Background

Lately I've been making mostly birthday cards, and I always feel like I'm two steps behind; especially when it takes so long for cards to get where they're going these days. I totally understand why that is, and I'm trying to send them earlier and earlier. I sent my daughter a card to Iceland, and it took 5 weeks to get to her (I used to mail cards 2 weeks in advance for Iceland). Many places are now understaffed, and probably cards are not considered a top priority, so account for that when you are mailing cards. I'm quite sure the recipients will be very glad to get a card in the mail; whether it's late or not.

This card is a favorite because it's pretty clean and simple. The die I used is from Paper Rose, which is an Australian company. I love their dies, because they're perfect for a card like this. I first saw this one on Jennifer McGuire's site, and had to have it.

I took a panel of Yupo paper and added various alcohol inks. Before the inks had dried completely...when there were still some sticky spots, I placed gold foil down and rubbed hard to transfer some of the foil to the surface.  Unfortunately, you can't see that in my photo above.

I took this photo at an angle so you can see the gold a little. It's very pretty in real life.

After cutting the die out of a panel that is 5.25" x 4", I stamped the sentiment from Magenta in the lower right corner. I cut the alcohol ink panel to about 5.25"x 2",  saving a nice chunk of it for another project. I glued the alcohol inked piece to the back of the die cut panel, and matted it with a piece of So Silk Black Style cardstock. The entire project was mounted onto a Neenah Solar White 110# base card.

I think this style of card could be good for almost any occasion, and also works for a man or woman.

Magenta Products used:

07.969.F have a Beautiful day!

Other Products used:

Paper Rose die 17874 Gum Leaf Border

Various Ranger alcohol inks

Yupo panel

Deco Foil, gold

Versafine Onyx Black ink

Neenah Solar White 80# & 110# cardstock

So Silk Black Style cardstock

Crossing Things off My List! Alcohol Ink Happy Birthday

Do you make lists? I do, especially when things start to get hectic. Suddenly it's November, and I realize there is so much to do. If you live in the U.S., I hope that you will vote on Tuesday. It's so very important. I love that I live in Washington state, where 99% of the voting is done by mail; my ballot has been in the mail for over a week. I wish I could push a button on the TV now to say that I voted, and avoid the constant stream of political ads. Better idea: work on my list! I literally have a dozen close friends and family with birthdays in November and December!

This one is going in the mail to a family member, far away. 

The top piece is alcohol ink on Yupo paper. I absolutely love to play with alcohol ink. For this piece, I  dripped various shades of greens and yellow onto Yupo, and blew it around with a straw. I added more color, more plain alcohol, and blew it around some more. I got a tiny micro brush applicator, dipped it in alcohol and made spots al over. I just had fun playing with it, and I loved the end result. The way alcohol ink moves on Yupo is just magical.

I cut my Yupo panel with the Papertrey Ink Sentiment Splits Curve, Horizontal die. I then cut a piece of 80# Neenah Solar White cardstock with the same die and adhered it to the back of the Yupo piece, but dropped down so that about 1/4" would show below the green. 

I used a sentiment from the Papertrey Ink Botanical Blocks stamp set. I had searched for an acrylic stamp that just said Happy Birthday in block letters, that was small enough to fit. I wanted to be able to bend the stamp into the shape of the curve, and this one worked perfectly.

I stamped the sentiment with Versafine Onyx Black ink, and adhered the pieces onto some Neenah Solar White cardstock that I had dry embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder. I'm trying to remember to use my embossing folders more. The entire panel was matted with Curious Metallics Super Gold cardstock, and mounted onto a white base card.

Another thing crossed off my list, and I really hope my family member likes my card! At this point in the year, I am so very thankful that I have already finished all of my Christmas cards and tags. That doesn't mean that I won't do more Christmas cards this year though! I have some planned for some Magenta posts, so please stay tuned.

Products used:

Ranger alcohol ink in various greens and yellows

91% alcohol

Yupo paper from Ranger

Papertrey Ink Sentiment Splits Curve, Horizontal die PTD 0787

Papertrey Ink Botanical Blocks Stamp Set 2817 (for the sentiment)

Sizzix 657252 Embossing Folder Branches with Leaves and Flowers

Versafine Onyx Black ink

Curious Metallics Super Gold cardstock

Neenah Solar White cardstock 80# & 110#