Creating masculine and feminine birthday card sets

To start off with, we're going to create organic watercolour backgrounds using a selection of Altenew stencils. However, before you apply the watercolour, we're first going to dry emboss the stencil design into the watercolour card. To do this, tape the stencil over your watercolour card stock.

Next, run this through your die-cutting machine with it set up to emboss and not cut. This may vary from machine to machine, so make sure you refer to your manual. For my machine, I need to use the platform, plat B, a cutting plate, then a silicone embossing mat, my cardstock and then stencil and then another cutting mat. If the impression is light, add a piece of cardstock as a shim.

Now, you can check that the stencil has dry embossed, but do not remove the stencil from the card yet. With the stencil still in place, start to add the watercolour over the top. You could remove stencil, but I find with it in place can add some extra texture to the background.

So, using a round brush to add water over the panel before dropping colour in. For these cards, I used my Altenew watercolour 36 pan. For the masculine backgrounds, I went for blues, greens and teals as this blend well. At times, I also dropped some black in to add a little more depth.

The stencils used for the masculine backgrounds are the Broken Chevron, Wavy Grid and Grid stencil. Two backgrounds were created for each stencil, as each set with 6 cards in them.

For the feminine cards, repeat dry embossing first with the stencilled design before then adding watercolour over the top. The stencils used for these backgrounds are the Feathered Leaves, Spring Garden and Feeling Dotty. For this colour scheme, I went for Pink and purples for a softer look.

Leave the panels to dry whilst working on the remainder of the elements.

For the masculine cards, we will use the Layered Cupcake stamp set. Initially stamp the outline first in a grey ink – this outline really helps you align the layers for the rest of the stamping. Next, do not remove this stamp from the MISTI door as we will emboss this layer later on. Rotate the cardstock and stamp multiple cupcakes. For the first cupcake case layer, place this over the cake case and stamp in blue ink. It’s best to make sure you look over the top to align, and it’s ok to take your time aligning this.

The second layer of the cupcake case is the shadows, so stamp this in darker ink. The cases were stamped in a range of blue and teal colours. For the icing, we can keep it white, but add a little dimension to the icing with grey ink and the third layer of the icing. Stamp this layer in soft grey ink, but if you don't have a light grey you can us second generation stamping. To do this, ink up and stamp onto scrap paper. Do not re-ink but stamp over the image and this will create a lighter colour.

Once all the layers were complete, go back in and stamp the outline layer again in embossing ink and cover with embossing powder to add a shine element to the cards.

For the feminine set,  use the Cake Lover stamp set. Again, stamp the initial outline layer in grey ink.  This time with the layers, we can add some subtle ombre inking to the layers to add a little depth. To start off with, add Fuchsia ink all over the stamp and then go in with Magenta Inkpad, to one side. Once this is stamped, repeat this, but not make sure the ink is exactly in the same place as this will help the colours blend on the card.

Again, once the layers were complete, go back and heat emboss the outline layer in Platinum, gold and silver metallic powders. All of the cakes were cut out ready to assemble on the cards. 

To ground, the stamped images on the card, heat emboss the diamond and square Geo Frames stamp in matching metal embossing powders on to the black card.

For the feminine cards, die-cut the Fine Frames rectangle and circle dies in gold and silver mirror card stock.

For the feminine set, create the box out of Gina K Lovely Lavender. To start, score at 1.25”, then at 5.75” and then at 7”. After rotating the card 90 degrees, score at 1.25”, then at 7” and then 8.25”. Make sure you trimm off any remaining card and then cut down once side of each square in the four corners to create tabs. Next, fold each tab and adhered to the inside of the adjacent side to create a tray.

The lid is created in the same way, but instead scored at 6” and 7.25” before adding 1.25” on for the last side. This will give extra space to fit the lid over the box.

To create the window in the lid, die-cut a stitched rounded rectangle from the middle of the panel. To protect the cards in the box, use some leftover plastic packaging and adhered to the inside of the lid.  Now, when you open the box, you can see this messy adhesive, so you can die-cut another panel to cover this up.

For the masculine card, use Double Denim Gina K cardstock to create the box and lid. However, to add some more detail to the lid heat emboss the Broken Chevron stencil over the top, around the edge of the window and heat set in Gold embossing powder.

Now, I went back with the Feeling Dotty Stencil to add a little ink blending with Sugared Lavender Catherine Pooler Ink to the feminine lid to tie it in.

 

If you enjoyed today's card, please let us know and we would love to see your cards if this has inspired you.