Hi everyone! Some birthday cards are too fun to make, and this one fits the bill! This card features an adorable outer space / alien theme. It has a playful sentiment and a cool light beam effect. It will surely delight any space lover. Today, I’m sharing the inspiration behind this card design, the techniques I used, and some fun ways to add extra cosmic magic to your own creations.
The Design Process
I was flipping through some of my stamp sets and saw this super cute Beam Me Up stamp set from Lawn Fawn. I needed to create a birthday card and thought this set would enable me to create a fun birthday scene. The idea of a UFO beaming up a party guest (complete with a present) made me smile and became the main concept of the card. How fun!
Creating the Background
To start, I blended a deep space background using various shades of blue and black Distress Ink (Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire and Black Soot). I splattered a little water to create the look of distant stars, giving the background extra depth and dimension. The contrast between the dark background and the bright, happy aliens makes them pop! I wanted to create the effect of a moon too, so at the bottom of the page I added a moon shape which I had sponged with Hickory Smoke and Pumice Stone Distress Inks.
The Light Beam Effect
One of the standout features of this card is the UFO’s light beam. To achieve this effect:
- I stamped the cone shape stamp in black ink on a piece of vellum.
- Once dry, I fussy-cut it to mimic the beam of light.
- I stamped, coloured, and fussy cut an extra alien and present and then adhered them underneath the vellum to create the illusion of them being transported.
Final Touches
To complete the card, I stamped and heat-embossed the sentiment in white using sentiments from the Beam Me Up stamp set. I added a few stamped stars as well as UFOs and aliens. Of course, the aliens came complete with party hats, presents and a cake! Some elements were adhered directly to the background, while others were popped up using Stampin’ Dimensionals from Stampin’ Up!® for added depth. The final touch was to add some Wink of Stella to different elements. No card is complete without a little sparkle! I should also mention that I only fussy-cut out all the images because I forgot to buy the coordinating dies. Cannot get them in Australia on their own anymore. Oh well!
Here’s the card…
Adding Extra Cosmic Magic
Want to take your space-themed cards to the next level? Here are a few ideas:
- Glow-in-the-dark elements: Use glow-in-the-dark embossing powder for the stars or even the UFO lights!
- Metallic embossing: Silver or gold embossed details on the UFO or stars add a beautiful shine.
- Interactive elements: Consider making a slider card where the alien actually moves up into the spaceship.
This card was an absolute joy to create! The combination of fun characters, bright colours, and a little cardmaking magic made it truly special. I hope this inspires you to try a space-themed card of your own.
Have you ever made a UFO or alien-themed card? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a great day!
Supplies
(DISCLAIMER: I am a member of various affiliate programs. However, I purchased all the items used in my projects myself. I only link to products I personally use, love, and recommend (though I may link to different sizes). If you click on my link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)
