Simple steps to make this cute cat birthday card

It’s been a steady Sunday here at The Inky Nook and I’ve been taking some time out to practise my colouring skills from a course I’m currently doing. Heather runs her Stampin’ Blends alcohol marker course twice a year and you can find out more by clicking on this link to the The Songbird Stamper. We are halfway through her Spring offering and the cat birthday card for my brother I’m sharing with you today uses some of the skills I’ve been learning.

Row of three cards showing a cat sat in a spotty cupcake case holding a balloon. Two of the cards have orange cats with grey cupcake cases and the middle card has a grey cat sat in a blue cupcake case. Three cute cat birthday cards.

Step 1 – kit list for your cat birthday card

You need some white cardstock (about 1 A4 sheet), cardstock for your base (coloured or white), memento black ink and some Stampin’ Blends! For the cat I used Smoky Slate, cupcake case Balmy Blue, cupcake spots/bowtie and hat Mint Macaron, the balloon is coloured in Pale Papaya. Further additional items: strip of designer series paper (approx 1cm x 10cm), blending brush and an ink pad in one of the Stampin’ Blends colours you’ve used. An optional extra would be some embellishments to just add an extra finishing touch.

Step 2 – card base and layers

Cut your card base out of your chosen cardstock measuring 14.9cm by 21cm and score down the middle at 10.5cm. You will need an outside and inside layer of white cardstock measuring 14.4cm by 10cm. For the greeting I stamped the greeting first and then cut the piece down to size.

Step 3 – time to stamp

Stamp the cat using memento black ink on some white cardstock and leave to dry. On one of the card layers stamp ‘happy birthday’ on and off randomly over the layer in your chosen ink pad colour. Once this is dry use a blending brush to softly colour the whole layer and pop to one side.

Step 4 – it’s all about the blends

Picture of an orange cat wearing a party hat sat in a grey cupcake case with green spotty dots. A cute cat birthday card.

Now you put your colouring skills to the test using the Stampin’ Blends. If you are new to Blends then you can just colour normally without adding any shading. However if you are feeling brave, try and some shading to the outline side edges of the cupcake case and the cat. Once coloured in fussy cut the cat and balloon out and pop some dimensionals on the back ready to fix onto your card.

Step 5 – bringing the cat birthday card all together

Glue the layer to the card base, glue the designer series paper strip just under the halfway point and then place the cupacake cat on top. Stamp the greeting and secure to the card with dimensionals too. My final finishing touch was some gems to some sparkle, you could use the blends to colour in some pearls if you don’t have any gems.