January 25th marks the beginning of Chinese New Year, and this year it is the Year of the Rat! Based on the lunar calendar, the Year of the Rat is the first in the Chinese zodiac cycle and occurs every 12 years.
While it may be more of a cute little mouse than ‘rat,’ I have used the stamp from the ‘Special Someone’ stamp set as well as some of the stamps from the ‘Power of Hope’ stamp set and the traditional colors of the Chinese New year to create this cute card for theYear of the Rat. Count back 12 years – do you know anyone born in 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948… that you could send this card to?
Cut Cardstock:
- Card Base: Basic Black – 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″, score at 4 1/4″
- First Layer: Real Red – 5 3/8″ x 4 1/8″, cut two
- Second Layer for card front: Gold Foil – 5 1/8″ x 3 7/8″
- Second Layer for Inside: Whisper White – 5 1/8″ x 3 7/8″
- Third Layer:
- Whisper White – 4 7/8″ x 3 5/8″
- Scrap of Whisper White for rat (mouse)
Assembly:
Attach one piece of Real Red cardstock to the card front with snail. Layer the Gold Foil onto the Real Red cardstock.
Use Memento ink to stamp the 4 7/8′ x 3 5/8″ piece of Whisper White cardstock as follows: Stamp the lantern from the Power of Hope stamp set three times near the top of the Whisper White cardstock.
Use the Basic Black Stampin’ Write Marker to draw a curved line connecting the lanterns.
Stamp the pagoda from the Power of Hope stamp set and the mouse from the Special Someone stamp set toward the bottom of the cardstock.
Stamp the mouse again onto the scrap of Whisper White cardstock.
Stamp the greeting from the Power of Hope stamp set.
Using Stampin’ Blends markers, color the lanterns and part of the pagoda with Dark Real Red, part of the pagoda and inside of mouse’s ears with Light Flirty Flamingo, the mouse with Light Crumb Cake, and the grass with Light Old Olive. Refer to photo for coloring,
Use your Paper Snips to fussy cut the mouse on the scrap cardstock and use a dimensional to attach directly on top of the mouse on the stamped piece. Snail the stamped piece to the card front.
Place a Red Rhinestone on top of the pagoda.
Place a Gold Metallic Pearl on top of each of the lanterns.
Inside:
Snail the remaining piece of Real Red cardstock to the inside of the card.
Use Memento ink to stamp two lanterns near the top of the remaining piece of Whisper White cardtock. Use the Basic Black Stampin’ Write marker to draw a line connecting the lanterns. Color the lanterns with the Dark Real Red Stampin’ Blends marker.
Use Memento ink to stamp the Happy Birthday greeting and the mouse from the Special Someone stamp set. Refer to photo for placement.
Color the inside of the mouse ears with Light Flirty Flamingo and the body with the Light Crumb Cake Stampin’ Blends markers.
Snail the completed piece to the inside of the card.
Envelope:
Using Memento ink, stamp a mouse on the lower left corner of the envelope and color as before.
Hope you enjoy making this fun card. Maybe it’s not a traditional birthday card, but it’s fun one for someone especially born during a Year of the Rat!
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