Watch the Birdie!

Use a digital downloaded image to create your own decoupage birthday card

Another male oriented birthday card and once again I struggled to find an appropriate image amongst my stash! I had a hunt on the internet and found a lovely and very appropriate image.

If you use Google to search for digital stamps, there are loads to choose from. Some are free, some you have to pay a small amount for. Some are black and white images and some are already pre-coloured. (Please be careful of copyright issues)  In this case I found a pre-coloured image and paid a small amount to be able to download it. Once downloaded you can print to your hearts content. This particular download was in PDF format and came in varying sizes.

As you can keep printing those images, you can cut parts out of the different images to create the decoupage image.

Follow the below link to find out how this card was made:

Paper Cutting Happy Birthday

Use a very therapeutic paper cutting technique to create this Happy Birthday card

This week, following discussions with fellow crafters at a local craft fair, I bought a paper cutting book and have had enormous fun cutting out intricate images. It's not as difficult as I thought it was going to be but it will take me more practise before I can attempt the really big pieces. This is a wasp/bee that I cut out from the book - I've laid it on orange card so you can see it better. My first attempt - I am very proud. With patience, good light and a sharp scalpel, I really enjoyed cutting it. (The wasp was taken from the 'Paper Cutting Starter Kit' by Cut & Make that I purchased from The Range).

Anyway, back to this weeks project. I thought that paper cutting would make a lovely card, so I have designed a Happy Birthday card that you can cut from standard card with minimal equipment.

I have made a background using Brusho's (something else I learned from fellow crafters last weekend!) but you could easily layer it with any coloured card you have. I will however show you how to make this background as it is good fun and you never get the same effect twice.

Follow the below link to find out how the card was made