Happy 6th Birthday

I created this card for my Great Niece's 6th birthday.  She is a creative person like her Grandmother and Great Aunt and I always look forward to sending her some additions to her crafty stash at this time of year! 

I worked on a 17.6cm x 17.6cm white pre made base card, so cut the dark blue mat to 17.1cm x 17.1cm.  I found the background, which had been created using Brushos spritzed with water, in my card stash, so trimmed it to 16.6cm x 16.cm to use as the main topper.

I then went through my bit box and punched out a whole range of potentially useful coloured pieces of card and paper using my 2" Woodware balloon punch.

I eventually chose six which I liked best against the background topper to represent her age.

Before adding them to the card, I die cut the balloon strings which are part of the Balloons Step-Ups die set by Sizzix twice each out of the same dark blue card which I had used as a mat for the topper.

I used an off cut of turquoise blue parchment paper from Claritystamp and embossed the Happy Birthday from the Line Sentiments Groovi border plate.  This was then die cut using one of the Stitched Flag dies designed by Sue Wilson for Creative Expressions; a larger mat was die cut from the dark blue card using a second die from the same set.  I used Wacky Tack adhesive to attach the parchment to the mat to avoid it showing through.  It does show a little, but barely compared with using wet glue.

It only remained to add the sentiment flag to the topper and mount the whole thing onto the base card.  I debated whether to add a 6 to the front balloon, but decided she is grown up enough to do without, as she is perfectly able to count the balloons for herself!