After my 24 hour card making marathon over the weekend I sat down to make a quick gift tag today. This idea using the Hey Birthday Chick Stamp Set and coordinating Birthday Chick Dies came together really easily. However as I was working it occurred to me it was essentially another card, albeit a very small one. So before the final assembly I just had to see what it would look like as a full-sized card, and I love that too. But first let’s look at the tag…

BIRTHDAY CHICK SCENE

This project all started when I had an idea for a cartoon-like ‘scene’.

I began with the large dancing chicken from the Hey Birthday Chick Stamp Set, stamped onto Basic White Card using Tuxedo Black ink. This was the only stamping I needed for my tag.

Moving over to my Mini Cut & Emboss Machine I pulled out the Birthday Chick Dies. First I cut out the chick image using the coordinating die. Then from Basic White Card I cut out the fence. Finally from a scrap of Poppy Parade Card I cut the “Happy Birthday” sentiment.

Taking the pieces back to my workspace I chose some Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers. I started with the fence piece using both the light and dark Crumb Cake markers to colour it in.

Then for the chick image I began at the bottom with some dark Old Olive, and blended that with some light Old Olive. Then towards the top part of the chick’s body I swapped to the dark Granny Apple Green marker. Finally I went over the whole of the body with the light Granny Apple Green marker. This final colour really blended out everything else and left me with a lovely mottled effect which appeared quite natural. Finally I coloured the beak with a dark Daffodil Delight and the wattle and comb with light Poppy Parade.

All I needed now was a background and for that I cut a 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ piece of Balmy Blue Card. I liked the way this contrast with the finished chick, but I still needed to create the ‘ground’. So as they were right there I went back to my selection of Stampin’ Blends. Then using the Crumb Cake, Old Olive and Daffodil Delight markers I simply scribbled some lines across the base of the Balmy Blue piece.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

With the scene pieces all prepared I was ready to start putting it all together.

First I cut a 2-5/8″ x 2-5/8″ piece of Daffodil Delight Card and using Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow) mounted the Balmy Blue layer on top. Then with more liquid glue I added the chick, followed by the die-cut sentiment. To add some additional depth and dimension I used Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals to attach the fence piece, and my scene was set.

Now I just wanted the tag base and for that I cut a 3″ x 6″ piece of Basic White Card. Then with the long side at the top I used the Paper Trimmer to score the card at 3″.

After folding the card along the scored line and sharpening the crease with a Bone Folder, I opened it flat again. Then I placed the card into my Detailed Trio Punch with the oval hole option just to the left of the crease and punched. Now I had a small hole at the back of the tag.

It was at this point that I got distracted and just had to see what my scene would look like as a full-size card. So I covered the back with Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals and without removing the backing, laid it onto a card base made from Thick Basic White Card. I have to say I quite like it.

But I set out to make a gift tag so I went back to finish it.

Using Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals I’d already attached I fixed the completed chick scene to the front of the 3″ x 3″ folded tag. Then I threaded some white twine from the Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack through the hole and tied it in a simple knot. Job done.

I’ve often thought that some of my gift tag designs would work well as focal points on a card. Today I showed how that might work. Have you ever done that? Leave me a comment below and let me now what you think.

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