Guest Blogger: Yana Smakula

Hello, friends! This is Yana Smakula and I am excited to bring you my monthly video tutorial for Papertrey Ink from the “In The Studio with Yana” video series. I am sharing video tutorials on the 24th of each month, this is my second one, you can catch the first episode HERE.

 

I am a firm believer that one can never have too many Birthday cards on hand, so I always try to make them well in advance and today I’d like to encourage and invite you to do the same – join me and let's make a set of stylish Birthday cards in various colors. 

 

The card you see on the photo above is done in beautiful deep blue (using Enchanted Evening cardstock and ink). Different people tend to like different colors so when I was making these cards I had different tastes in mind. I wanted to create a set of similar yet slightly different birthday cards that are personalized in a way. And using a person’s favorite color is, I think, a great way to personalize a Birthday card.

 

Using Simply Chartreuse cardstock and Prairie Grass ink color 

I started working on my projects by stamping a gorgeous confetti border from the Good Times stamp set along the top edge of my cardstock panel. I also added a large Birthday word and a sub sentiment – “To A Very Special Friend”, although I changed the sub sentiments on my cards to diversify them a bit.  

Using Hawaiian Shores cardstock and Tropical Teal ink color 

I did my stamping in Versamark ink and heat embossed images in Gold embossing powder. I happen to love gold very much (especially gold on blue), but you can also use other colors of embossing powder for this design. Think about using silver, platinum and other colors. 

I loved this design as is – it looked very much like pre printed stationery, especially that Birthday word that was stamped on a diagonal, but I wanted to add to it and make it pop. I was able to easily do that with the help of ink blending and tone on tone stamping. 

 

Using Scarlet Jewel cardstock and Scarlet Jewel ink color

Using an ink blending tool and coordinating or similar color of ink I darkened the top part of my panel where I had the heat embossed confetti border. To embellish the bottom part of my Birthday cards I stamped florals from the Bloomin’ Cute stamp set. 

I also couldn’t resist adding a tiny sentiment square from the Better Together stamp set. The message reads “Handmade With Love”. I stamped it in matching ink color on some of my cards and heat embossed in gold on others. 

Using Raspberry Fizz cardstock and with Autumn Rose ink color

I trimmed my panels to 4 x 5 ½ “ and foam mounted onto A2 top folding card bases made out of white cardstock. Lastly, I stamped the word “Wishes” in black ink onto white cardstock strips and foam mounted onto my cards to complete the messages. 

Using Winter Wisteria cardstock and Amethyst Allure ink color

I had a blast making these cards and considering I made a bunch they didn't take long to produce at all. I'd like to encourage you to pull out your stamps, inks and papers and create identical or similar projects! 

Have fun stamping! 

• STAMPS: Birthday Cheer Stamp Set, Bloomin' Cute Stamp Set, Better Together Stamp Set, Good Times Stamp Set
• INK: Enchanted Evening, Prairie Grass, Tropical Teal, Scarlet Jewel, Autumn Rose, Amethyst Allure
• PAPER:  Enchanted Evening, Simply Chartreuse, Hawaiian Shores, Scarlet Jewel, Raspberry Fizz, Winter Wisteria
• OTHER: White cardstock, Foam adhesive, Tape adhesive, MISTI stamping tool, Versamark Ink Pad, Hero Arts Gold Embossing Powder, EK Success Powder Tool Applicator, Hero Arts Heat Gun, Ranger Mini Round Ink Blending Tool, Spellbinders Circle Foam Refills