Using the same stamp set to make slightly different cards
When it comes to giving birthday cards to twins, I like to treat them the same, however they are still individual, so I like to make two cards that are similar. Sometimes I do the same card but in different colours but this year for one set of twins I have made the same card but with different images.
These cards also give me the chance to show off some more of that patterned paper I have been hoarding !
I had a bit of a dilemma when making these cards as I had the idea of the monster holding a balloon image but with the tags down the side of the layering rectangle, it didn't fit onto a C6 card. By turning the base card into a tent fold and the layering rectangle extending past the top of the card, it all fits and gives an extra shape to the card. As long as it still fits into a standard envelope, it's a win, win !
Follow the below link to find out how these cards were made
You will need
- C6 white base cards
- 4 different blue patterned card
- White card
- Monster Love Stamp and die set by Concord & 9th
- Happy Birthday greeting stamp (i used one from Piece of Cake stamp set by Stampin Up)
- 2 rectangle dies measuring 11 . 5 cm high by 8 cm wide and 10 . 5 cm high by 7 cm wide (if you don't have these size dies, just cut card using a guillotine or scissors)
- Pennant die (mine came from The Range and measures 3 . 5 cm by 1 . 2 cm, but you can use any pennant die or even just cut them by hand)
- Balloon punch or die (I used Stampin Up's balloon punch)
- Black ink pad (mine came from Hobbycraft)
- Colouring medium of your choice (I used promarkers - denim blue, cornflower, cool grey 1 and cool grey 2)
- Small amount of navy yarn or string
- Washi tape (any colour - used to cover the greeting stamp whilst stamping)
- Stamping aid such as Misti or Stamparatus
- Double sided tape, glue and double sided foam pads
- Using the two rectangle dies, cut out the larger one on darker blue patterned paper and the smaller one on lighter blue patterned paper
- Using double sided tape or glue, attach the smaller one ontop of the larger one centrally
- Die cut 3 pennant flag's in different blue patterned papers
- On the back of the rectangles that you stuck together in step 2, put some double sided tape up the side from the bottom corner to just short of 9 cm
- Stick the ends of the pennant flags, so they just touch the double sided tape and the top of each is at the following intervals - 3 . 5 cm, 5 . 5 cm, 7 . 5 cm up from the bottom
- Using double sided tape stick the rectangle to the front of the card so it extends above the fold at the top of the base card.
- My pennant flag has die cut stars within it. I used three of these to stick to the bottom right edge of the base card. If your die doesn't include these you could punch some stars or circles out of the matching blue patterned papers, use brads or even stick buttons on instead
- Stamp your monsters onto white card using your stamping aid and black ink pad. I am making two cards so have stamped the fluffy monster and the leggy monster - you may wish to only make one card or even three different ones. I have stamped the leggy monsters arms separately as you glue them on later and I have added the fluffy monsters tummy after stamping the main body
- Colour in your monsters and then die cut them out
- Glue leggy monsters arms to his body
- We now need to stamp the greeting onto the balloons. To do this, punch a balloon out of scrap paper - you want to keep the outside bit of the punch - the relief part. Put a piece of blue patterned paper into your stamping aid and put the balloon relief punch scrap piece of paper ontop. Line up your happy birthday greeting so the birthday part lies within the balloon window - see below photo:
- Pick the stamp up with the stamping aid flap, remove the balloon relief, place a piece of washi tape over the 'Happy' piece of the greeting stamp and ink up the Birthday part. Remove the washi tape and stamp the greeting. Turn your paper around in the stamping aid and stamp a second Birthday for the second balloon, if you are intending on making two cards like me (Using washi tape and removing it before you stamp the greeting ensures you only stamp the part of the greeting you need)
- Repeat the above step by aligning the Happy part of the greeting and stamping two Happy's above the Birthday's
- If you use your balloon punch upside down, you can align the greeting so it appears within the balloon cutout. Punch your two balloons
- Stick a piece of yarn to the back of each of the balloons
- Put double sided foam pads on the back of the balloon and stick it to the top of the rectangle on the base card
- If you are using the fluffy monster, align the yarn behind his back and stick in place. If you are using the leggy monster align the yarn with the back of his clenched hand and stick in place. Ensure you line it up so the monster is close to where you will place him on the card or you will have lots of loose yarn.
- Stick your monster to the card using double sided foam pads
There you go - two very similar cards. Sometimes I might use the same image and just pick a different colour theme for each - it's surprising how different it makes them look.
Have fun with your monster stamps. Happy crafting X
