Since I’ve recently used a couple of other cover and inlay dies, I just decided to stay on that roll and use the new bonus birthday “gift” (from Concord & 9th to us) that comes with a purchases over a certain amount.

These cards feature the Party Hats Inlay Die, from Concord & 9th. I used a similar color palette and basic layout for these two, but I’ll have more different ideas coming. (I knew this would be a busy week so wanted to have something to share, at least.) Both cards also show ways to add a gradient in the inlay spaces. One uses background blending and open inlay frame, the other uses filled in inlay with different colors of cardstock.

Colors Used:

• cardstock: Concord & 9th Sweet Pea, Creamsicle, and White.

• inks: Concord & 9th Sweet Pea, Pink Lemonade, and Creamsicle.

Techniques:

• The background is ink blended, with Sparkle spray added on top of the blending.

• To create some depth and shadow between the die cut front panel and that ink blended background, but keeping the sides flat and clean, I did two things. I added some Clementine ink blending on the Clementine cardstock (mostly on the bottom half) to increase the contrast with the background layer. For some actual dimension I added thin foam squares to the back of the center areas of that die cut panel to be sure that shadow was present, but used liquid glue to glue down the sides.

• One party hat and top are filled in with inlay pieces. I stacked the pieces first to give it some good thickness and to be sure it would pop out beyond that die cut front.

• I used the “hey” letters and shadow from the Toadstool Dies. I had to cut down the shadow layer, but it was easy to do in that style.

• If you read my last post, you can find another Visual Triangle on this card. It is a higher triangle, but the 3 main elements in the deeper pink (the inlaid pink party hat, the “hey” letters, and the “Happy birthday” words, all in Sweet Pea) create a good focal point. That also happens to be the same triangle of white elements, just in mostly smaller amounts.

Techniques:

• The background on this is a pretty straightforward use of the inlay die. I added all of the inlay hats, but did it in a gradient from top left to lower right.

• I wanted to add another focal point element, and chose this larger of the balloon animals - so that shift in scale between the party hats and it would enhance the emphasis. That emphasis is created by placement (right in the center), scale, contrast (with the white border), and dimension (created by stacking a few die cut layers behind that ink blended balloon animal).

Colors:

• cardstock: Concord & 9th Sweet Pea, Pink Lemonade, Watermelon, Grapefruit, and Creamsicle.

• ink: Pink Lemonade, Black.

Thank you for visiting! I hope you get some time to create something soon.

Links are below if you’re interested in any of the products I used.

You can find that offer for the Party Hat Inlay Die here.

Supply list*:

(Listed by company, with links to Simon Says Stamp and others. Simon Says Stamp links are affiliate links*.)

*Affiliate links do not cost you any more when you shop, but it is beneficial to creators when you use them, so thanks in advance!