Happy Happy B'day

On Day 6 of Online Card Classes' "Clean & Simple 4" class, Julie Ebersole demonstrated a tri-fold birthday card. I made this one inspired by her design.

I began by scoring my 5.5x11" cardstock to create a tri-fold card. After die cutting a balloon from red glitter paper with one of the dies from Simon Says Stamp's "Balloons" set, I ran it through my Xyron machine to apply adhesive to the back. I determined where I wanted it on the second panel of the card base, and taped down another, smaller, die from the same set to the front panel. I die cut that balloon from the card base, so the center of the red glittered balloon would show through. This gives the illusion of 2 balloons--one on the front, and one on the next panel.

Second panel of card

I next die cut an opening in the second panel using the balloon die from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' "Birthday Bash" die set (discontinued). Using Memento Lady Bug ink on the greeting from the coordinating "Birthday Bash" stamp set, I stamped the greeting on the inside of the card, through the die cut opening.

I wanted a third balloon for the second panel, but didn't have a small enough die. So I stamped a circle from the "Birthday Bash" set, using Memento Paris Dusk ink, onto white cardstock. I fussy cut it out, and created the bottom part by inking a piece of white cardstock with Paris Dusk and cutting out a small triangle. I glued the stamped circle onto the second panel, overlapping the die cut balloon opening slightly, and glued the triangle piece to the bottom, to create a balloon. Then I drew in the balloon strings with a fine-tipped black marker.

To add some additional festivity, I stamped the confetti stamp from "Birthday Bash" with Memento Angel Pink ink several times coming down from the top of each panel.