As another year of birthdays begins, my plan this year is to post my birthday cards shortly after the recipient receives them. I will also be posting (at least this is my plan LOL!) other cards using different techniques that I want to try. In between posts of my cards I will also create some posts on some other crafts that I make or try. At least, this is my plan.

My first birthday card of the year is a pretty easy card to make. It involves dry embossing, heat embossing, die cutting, and inking.

• I first cut down a piece of Tranquil Teal card stock to fit the front of my card base.
• I used Scattered Shells embossing folder from Spellbinders.
• I had intended to use the raised side as the background but then changed my mind when I was trying to figure out what I was going to do as my focal point.
• Using a blending brush, I added some Mystic Lake ink around the edges of the panel making sure I left the middle of the panel without any ink.
• Using Teal Tempest and my blending brush, I added ink around the edges making sure I left enough of the Mystic Lake ink showing.
• I then adhered the panel to my card base.

By adding the ink around my panel, it helped to emphasize the embossed images.

• To keep with my ocean theme, I die cut some shells from some white cardstock with the intension of adding some ink to the outer edges of each shell.
• I began adding some Cappuccino ink to the outer edges of the starfish and one of the shells.
• Once I had completed adding the ink, I changed my mind and decided to add more color to the shells, so I added Pucker, Blush, Redwood and Toasted Mauve to the shells to add more color to the shells.
• Before I added my shells to the card, I inked and embossed my greeting.
• With the matching die for the sentiment, I cut it out and one additional die cut to add behind the sentiment for some dimension.

• I centered my sentiment on my card front but did not adhere it yet.
• I then placed the shell die cuts around the front of the card and when I was happy with it, I took a photo with my phone so I could remember the placement.
• Once I was satisfied, I first adhered the shells and then my sentiment.

This was a pretty easy card to put together.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Crafting!

Supplies used:

Spellbinders: Scattered Shells

Waffle Flower: Seashells Die, Best Wishes stamp and die

Gina K: Master Layouts #1

Cardstock:

Gina K: Tranquil Teal

Inks:

Altenew: Mystic Lake, Teal Tempest, Redwood, Toasted Mauve

Simon Says Stamp: Cappuccino, Pucker, Blush

Versa Clair: Nocturne