Making Monochromatic Birthday Cards

Hey!!!  Today we are making monochromatic birthday cards.  Why?  Well, why not 🙂

Actually, it is a spin-off project from a recent challenge in Stamping Family based on limited supplies.

I challenged myself to make a card using one stamp (NOT stamp set), one ink pad color, 2 colors of card stock, 1 accessory.

Choosing the Stamp

When you try this challenge, take a look at your stamps that could be used for both a background as well as a focal point.  It can be text, an image – it can be both.  It really will come down to the size of the stamp.

For this card, I chose the Happy Birthday sentiment from the Celebrate You set.  This is a new one to the big catalog last year.   It doesn't seem to be one that my stampers bought a lot of – so I am guessing it is going to hit the retiring list.  (That is merely a guess, not a statement.)

I will be completely honest, the sentiment is really the only one in the entire set of three that I like.

This set IS RETIRING!  To see the entire list of remaining available items, click here – then click on Last Chance Products on the left hand side.

Here is the stamp set:

Choosing Your Colors

When making monochromatic birthday cards, remember that you can choose any color you want.  I went with white and black, it is both traditional & can be masculine or feminine.

Now let's see the project:

So did I really spend $18 for one stamp?  Yes 🙂  I will show you how, with just this one card, this was very cost effective.  Read on…

Making the Background

When you go to make it, you have two choices:

1. Stamp an entire piece of 8-1/2″ x 11″ Whisper White card stock with the sentiment, then cut it into 4″ x 5-1/4″ pieces.
2. Cut your 8-1/2″ x 11″ Whisper White card stock into 4″ x 5-1/4″ pieces, then stamp.

Try it both ways and see what works best for you.  I didn't use a stamp positioner of any kind when stamping – I just went for it.

Choosing Your Dry Emboss Folder

When picking an embossing folder, dig through your stash and pick one that has a bit of a pattern, or even a random pattern, but not one that is too busy.  I chose the Oh My Stars one, but I could have also used the Polka Dot Basics, the Sparkle folder, or even the Softly Falling.  (The Garden Trellis is an example of too busy.)

This texture will be subtle, yet effective.  Take a look:

The Sentiment Layer

Remember I said I was only using one stamp?  So guess what my sentiment is going to say?

You can stamp a whole bunch of these and then either punch them out or die cut them.  I chose the Layering Ovals Framelits and die cut mine.  But you use whatever works for the stamp set you choose.

I decided to mat my sentiment, just because with the sentiment being the same as the background, it got a little lost.  I used the Stitched Shapes Framelits for my mat oval, I just so love that stitching!

The Finishing Touches

All this card needed was a little bling.  I didn't have a wide silver ribbon, so instead I went with a double row of ribbon.  It still gives you that look of a wider ribbon, but you just use two rows.  (A GREAT way to stretch your supplies!)

Add some dimensionals behind the sentiment layer and then put your entire Whisper White panel onto a card front, again of Whisper White.

If I was making this as a masculine card, I would stop right there.  I took it more towards a feminine side by adding a small bow tied from the same silver ribbon to my sentiment layer.

The Supplies

Here is everything I used to make this card, each image also links to a product page in my Stampin' Up! store.  If you discover anything you want, simply click a pic below.

Cost Effective

Remember when I said it was cost effective to spend $18 on ONE stamp?  Let's break it down…

I am taking into account that you have some of the basic supplies, like embossing folders, dies you can use, adhesive, acrylic blocks, and ink.

When you order:

• 1 package of Whisper White card stock ($9 for 40 sheets)
• 1 package of Basic Black card stock ($8 for 24 sheets)
• 2 spools of ribbon ($5 each)
• 1 Celebrate You stamp set ($18 if ordered in clear mount)

You will be able to make 48 cards!

You will split your Whisper White like so:

• 24 sheets cut in half to make your card bases (24 sheets x 2 per sheet = 48)
• 12 sheets for your 4″ x 5-1/4″ panels (12 sheets x 4 per sheet = 48)
• That leaves you four sheets for your sentiment.

You will only need 4 sheets of basic black, so you have 20 sheets left over.

Ribbon comes in 10 yards per spool, that is 360 inches x 2 spools = 720 inches

Each card should use less than 12 inches per card without a bow, therefore you can make 30 cards, two spools and you can make 60, however, you only need enough for 48, that leaves you about 144 inches to make some bows.

You should be able to get a bow from 6” of ribbon, especially if you are using the 10 Second Bow Maker, so that gives you enough to make… get this… 24 bows!

So you can make half of your cards with bows, half without. OR you can go wild and crazy and splurge an extra $5 for another 10 yards of ribbon and call it good.

But for our math, we are not splurging – we are even taking into account buying and ENTIRE package of black card stock, even though you don’t need it all.

• $18 stamp set
• $9 Whisper White
• $8 Basic Black
• $10 Ribbon

We are at $45 and we are making 48 cards – that is less than a dollar a card my friends!!!

AND that includes the stamp set!

Now do you see how buying this stamp set and only using the really cute one is cost effective?

Whew, that was a lot of math!

But I do think that many times we feel as though we have to like every image in a stamp set to really see the value in it.  And I just wanted to show you how sometimes that isn't the case.

It's so fun making monochromatic birthday cards, especially if you go with black and white.  Not only is it a classic color combo, it's also great for this card since you can take it both masculine and feminine 🙂  I hope you enjoyed seeing this all come together.  Now it's your turn to make them.  You can make an entire stack of them in probably one episode of NCIS!  Leave me a comment if you like this type of post and want to see more like it.  Have a great day!