all in an inch: A unique birthday greeting

As card-makers and papercrafters, the greeting cards we probably make most often are birthday cards. Our approach to making these cards often changes...with the seasons...the person's likes and dislikes...whether they are a close friend or relative...their age...or often, if it is a significant birthday.

We have all had that occasion where we wanted to make a really special birthday card - something different. Although framing your greeting in a mini sized picture frame is somewhat sneaky (because now they will have to put it somewhere!) it definitely solves the challenge of creating a memorable and different birthday wish.

Begin by randomly stamping the Lockhart Itty Bitty cupcake #3001 in Tsukineko Memento ink (tuxedo black) onto bright white card stock. Hopefully you have a scrap bin of random pieces from former projects so you won't have to get out a new sheet of paper!

Color the images with assorted Copic markers experimenting by creating various plaids and patterns to achieve a pleasing affect. Highlight the pattern you have created with a Sakura Stardust Jelly Roll pen and/or a white opaque pen.

Your goal for coloring the cupcake is to ultimately resemble (in color or pattern) the background paper for the card. (for info on creating a plaid with Copic markers consult prior posting titled, Butterscotch Plaids)

To create the background for the stamped image you will be covering a white Inchie Square with an Inchie Paper. Inchie Papers are 1-1/2" pre-cut squares and come in a package with 108 different patterns.Never throw out an Inchie Square!I Be sure and keep a paper cup on your desk for those inchies that you smudged when stamping or just didn't turn out how you wanted...well, save these for covering with papers!

Apply adhesive - we used Tombo Craft Collection, Permanent Adhesive Dots - to the back side of the patterned Inchie Paper.

Lay the Inchie Square down onto the adhesive side and trim with a blade using the edge of the Inchie Square as your cutting guide. Don't forget to color the edges of the trimmed Inchie Square with a matching Copic marker!

Cut out the colored cupcake being careful to trim just up against the black line, but not cutting it off. Paste the cupcake to the paper covered Inchie Square using foam tape so it 'stands up'.

Begin assembling the components by pasting the background paper you have chosen to a piece of white cardstock to give it added weight. The size of these two items will be determined by what comes out of the frame. You will be replacing these 'backing' papers.

These 2" X 3" frames were purchased from the local Aaron Brothers art supply store. They always have a huge selection of really fun small frames for great prices too!

You will need to find another color complimenting Inchie Paper and trim to 1-1/4" square. This gets pasted down onto the pink plaid background and the finished Inchie Square with cupcake is pasted on top of that.

This 'card' commemorates a significant birthday so it was important to make sure the age was visible. Using individual number stamps from the Letter Stamp Kit (Typewriter Typeface) by Words & Crafts from the Magnetic Poetry Company, stamp each number individually with VersaMagic, Perfect Plumeria chalk ink. The messaging was finished with a Birthday Wishes stamp from A Muse.

Be sure and make more than one so you will have an extra on hand for that next special birthday. Why not make a change or two by adjusting the positioning of the cupcake on the Inchie Square.