Sometimes it is really hard to come up with a manly birthday card, and sometimes it is not. For this card, I knew what stamps I wanted to use, and what colors of paper I wanted to use. Knowing those two details made putting the card together quite easy. Maybe I should approach every card like that. Most of the time, I start the card thinking of the occasion I need the card for. Then I look for the stamps I want to use, and lastly choose the paper. Or sometimes I choose the pattern paper first, so I know how to color the stamped image. Now that you have a minuscule view of how my crazy mind works, I will get on with the details of the card. I stamped the grill onto white paper using my black Versamark pad. I sprinkled some Judikins black opal embossing powder over the stamped image, and shook off the excess powder. I used my embossing gun (dangerous sounding I know) to melt the embossing powder which gives the finished product that raised and glossy feel. This powder also has glitter in it, so it is raised, glossy, and glittery - woo hoo! Next I stamped the sentiment stamp onto the striped paper. I also stamped the sentiment onto red paper, so I could cut out some of the words in red for added emphasis. I adhered the red words onto the striped paper, and adhered the striped paper along the side of the card. I stamped the happy birthday sentiment at the bottom of the card, and used red and gold Stickles on the candles. I think you all can tell what I did to finish off the card. Sometimes a person can get lost in all of the details.

Ingredients:
Paper: SU Brilliant blue; SU real red; SU white
DP: Creative Memories
Stamps: Great Impressions Grill; Hero Arts birthday sentiment with candles; Great Impressions sentiment
Ink: Versamark black; Memory box black
Misc.: SU ticket corner punch; black brads; Stickles

Quote of the day: "Good instincts usually tell you what to do long before your head has figured it out." -Michael Burke