A few weeks ago one of my regular readers mentioned she loved my gift tag and bookmark projects but didn’t have a lot of use for them. I love making tags and bookmarks for a couple of reasons. First, because they don’t take up a lot of materials and can be quick to make. Second, because they give me an opportunity to try out or practice new ideas and techniques. What I would say is pretty much every tag and bookmark design could be turned into a card. So that’s how today’s Hippo birthday project came about…

HIPPO BIRTHDAY TAG

I began this project by making the “hippo birthday’ gift tag. I started by cutting a 2″ x 4-1/4” piece of Thick Whisper White Card. Then I shaped it at one end using the Fancy Tag Topper Punch. Next, using a Mint Macaron ink pad I lightly pressed the pad along the bottom edge of the piece. This would be the ‘ground’ for my hippo to stand on.

To decorate the tag I pulled out the Hippo Happiness Stamp Set. This set is a ‘two step’ stamp set using multiple stamps to build and/or colour an image. To make lining up the various parts easy, the stamps are made from see-through photopolymer. For this project I chose the three stamps that make up the hippo image.

First using Crumb Cake ink I stamped the part-body image onto the tag so his feet stood on the ‘ground’. Then I inked up the full body image using Crumb Cake ink. To create the two-tone effect I needed the colour to be lighter so I stamped-off onto some scrap paper. Then without reinking the stamp I lined up the image over the part body and stamped down.

TIP – When doing two-step stamping I find it’s easier to line up the pieces by stamping the darker image first.

With the two parts of the body done I just had to add the face with Tuxedo Black ink. I found this was simply a case of lining up the lines around the nostrils.

To complete the tag all I simply threaded some 3/16″ Braided Linen Trim through the slot at the top.

NOW IT’S A CARD

Now I had my tag, making the card was really simple. I began by using my Paper Trimmer to cut and score some thick Whisper White Card. Then I folded the card along the scored line and sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder.

Then using Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow) I attached a 1″ strip of Mint Macaron Card across the card front. With that done I used Stampin’ Dimensionals to attach my tag.

My regular readers will know that I always like to decorate the inside of my cards and the envelopes. Today I simply went back to the stamp set and ink pads.

First, in the bottom left corner of a layer of Whisper White Card I created the ‘ground’ using the Mint Macaron ink pad. Then using the same process as before I stamped the hippo. Then I fixed the layer inside the card base.

Once I’d added the ground and hippo onto the front of a Whisper White Medium Envelope, I was done.

PRODUCT LIST

BUNDLE BONUS – I bought the Hippo Happiness Stamp set in a bundle with the coordinating Hippo & friends Dies (not used today). This meant I saved 10% off the cost of buying the two items separately. I also got the Fancy Tag Topper Punch in a bundle with the Fancy Phrases Stamp Set (also not used today). I’ve included links to both bundles below in case you want to explore these options.