My card today is a little different for me…no color.  Nope.  No Copics.  No colored pencils.  Nadda!  Yikes!  I wanted to challenge myself to make a card using only stamps and my neglected stamp pads.

I usually get the monthly stamp kit from Simon Says Stamp and in the kit several months ago, they had some birthday card designs using the items you got in the kit.  I usually just file those away, but decided to look through the card sample sheet to see if there was a “simple” card that I could make for a masculine birthday.  I found one that I could use as a starting point.  After creating my first two layers with some paper I had on hand, I decided to create the next two layers myself.  I used one of the stripes from  Simon Says Stamp’s Basic Stripes and some Momento London Fog ink to create some basic stripes.  It was pretty easy to do using my Misti Mini.  There is some grid paper that comes with the Misti Mini which makes it easy to get your stripes straight. 

For my second layer, I stamped some random stars from the Birthday Bits stamp set using some Versamark ink and some clear embossing powder.  After heat setting the stars, I began adding some ink using Coastal Cabana ink from Stamping Up.  I think that color is retired now, but I love the color.  I started from the side and worked my way towards the middle of my paper using less ink to get a graduated color. 

I stamped the balloons using the ones from the same stamp set, Birthday Bits, adding the little strings.  I used the same Coastal Cabana ink and So Saffron from Stamping Up for the yellows.  I fussy cut them out as I didn’t have any dies to match.  To give them some sparkle, I added some clear Wink of Stella over the ink.  I then stamped some stars in both colors on my card.  The tag I cut using Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Banner Duo.  I also cut it out using fun foam so I could pop it up on my card.  The sentiment is also from the Birthday Bits stamp set, and I heat embossed it using Ranger Liquid Platinum embossing powder.  A little bit of black and white twine for some accent, and my card was done.

A little different for me, but I really liked how it turned out.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Crafting!

Nancee