One quick and easy way to make a birthday card is to use the Balloon Celebration Photopolymer Stamp Set and the Balloon Bouquet Punch. For this card, I simply chose to use colors from the Regals Family just because I don’t use those colors as much. But I’m happy with the colors when I look at this card!

To keep it easy, I just used the Whisper White Thick Cardstock for the card base. If you don’t have this paper already, you should add it to your next order.  It just is a little heavier than the regular Whisper White and you don’t feel that you need to add a layer for a little more heft in your card.

Then I had fun punching lots of balloons with the Balloon Bouquet Punch!  If you want to, you can stamp the shading on the paper first and then punch, or punch first and then stamp. Once you start punching balloons, punch extras because it is fun and because you might want to use them on another card or project!

The stars stamp and the greeting all come in the Balloon Celebration Stamp Set, as well as the balloon strings, so you are all set!  You will be able to many kinds of cards with this stamp set to cover almost all occasions!  Have fun making this Balloon Celebrations Birthday Card!

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This is the last week (only today plus three days!) for Stampin’ Up! Sale-A-Bration, and I was also thinking about how soon the current Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog will also be coming to an end. It’s almost April, for heavens sake! One thing to think about, ahead of time, are the In Colors. These are the trendy, up-to-date colors that Stampin’ Up! chooses to be available for only two years in the catalog and introduces a new set every year as the old set goes out. The colors you see on the cards above are going to be the retiring 2014-16 In Colors:  Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey, Mossy Meadow, Lost Lagoon, and Tangelo Twist. Based upon previous years, I would guess that as soon as the Retirement List comes out, the In Colors may be the first to go, especially the ink refills. Once they are gone, it is difficult to find ones that are available, unless, perhaps, you pay a premium price from someone selling theirs.

So if you want another FREE item from the Sale-A-Bration Brochure or the extra new SAB products and maybe you don’t really have anything in mind right now you are dying to order, you might consider stocking up on any of the In Color 2014-16 products that you want. If you already have the ink pads, I would strongly suggest getting the reinkers. If you have one of the colors of cardstock that is just about out and you like to use it, then order an extra pack or two.

It’s also a good idea to stock up on adhesives during Sale-A-Bration or basics like Whisper White card stock. Sometimes we are so excited about the new stamp sets and accessories that we forget to check our core supplies.

But back to the In Color cards I made in the photo—I probably made those all in about fifteen minutes! I made a card base for each of the In Colors, cut layers of Whisper White card stock, and stamped with the same color inks. The Birthday Blooms Stamp Set is perfect for this because the flower is large and beautiful. There’s really no need to do any coloring or extra embellishing unless you want to! You’ll see on the Tangelo Twist card I decided to make a smaller one (3 3/4″ x 3 3/4″) and stamp with the single flower in the stamp set. I also added a layer of Silver Glimmer Paper for a little pizzazz!  The stamp set comes with those three perfect greetings plus two little accent stamps, a little flower and some dots.

If any of the 2014-16 In Colors are favorites of yours, be sure to check your supply and consider ordering extras before the retirement rush. I don’t know if Stampin’ Up! will do anything different this year, but I’m going by what has happened in the past. And don’t forget, Sale-A-Bration will be ending on Thursday, March 31.  Don’t miss it!!

For quick and easy cards to make, try the In Color Birthday Blooms Monochromatic Cards, even if you use different colors!

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