Nothing says “happy birthday” like a burst of bright colors and a little beachy fun! Fresh off a trip to the shore, I felt inspired to bring the ocean breeze into my craft room—minus the sand in my die-cutting machine. Today’s card features stenciled beach balls, a fun postage stamp collage, and plenty of shimmer and shine. Let’s dive in!
Bringing the Beach to Paper: Creative Ways to Use Layering Stencils
To set the seaside scene, I stenciled a flurry of yellow, green, and blue beach balls bouncing across the card. But what’s a day at the beach without a little shimmer? I used Glitz Inks to add a splash of shimmery shine.
Key Products Used:
- Waffle Flower Shop
- Waffle Flower Postage Collage Bundle
- Waffle Flower Postage Collage Die
- Waffle Flower Postage Collage Stamps
- Waffle Flower Print and Script Happy Birthday Sentiment
- Hero Arts Color Layering Beach Ball Stencil
- Hero Arts Glitz Inks: Naples Yellow and Byzantine Green
- Hero Art Summer Sky Ink
- Waffle Flowers 7.5″ x 11″ Grip Mat
- Waffle Flowers Grip Mat Bundle
- The Ink Stand Collection (to hold my ink pads in place)
- Pumpkin Cardstock
Ink Blending Tips for a Seamless Look
- Easy to Use 3 Layer Stencil: I started by stenciling my background with the fun Beach Ball Stencil. To keep my paper and stencil in place, I used my Sticky Grip Mat, which worked perfectly.
- Click HERE to read my review on Sticky Grip Mats.
- Use a circular motion: This prevents harsh lines and gives a softer, airbrushed effect. I also like to change direction frequently.
- Let the shimmer do its thing: Glitz Inks add an extra pop. I used two shimmery Glitz Inks + Summer Sky for a really beachy vibe.
Postage Perfection
Nothing elevates a card quite like a postage stamp theme, so I pulled out my Waffle Flower Postage Collage die and stamp set to bring in some postal flair. Here’s what I included:
- Postage-style die adds a fun and playful focus to your project, allowing pops of the orange mat to peek through the holes.
- Stamped details like “sending hugs”, “50 cents”, “hugs inside”, and classic cancellation squiggles for that perfect mail-ready touch.
- A crisp white scripty “Happy Birthday” sentiment with a black shadow, keeping it bold and readable amidst all the beachy goodness.
The Final Splash
With the main panel matted in orange, this card bursts with sunny energy—perfect for anyone’s birthday, no matter their age! The beachy vibe, vibrant colors, and postal elements make it a playful, happy way to celebrate.. ☀️📬✨
kennyscards.com 