Easy Happy Birthday Card: Celebrate Swissie | C. C. Designs | Sneak Peek Day 2

Hi friends! I'm back with another sneak peek for the new C.C. Designs release coming this Friday, and this time, I’ve got birthday cupcakes, embossing folder texture, and a whole lot of cuteness packed into one happy card. Today we’re spotlighting the Celebrate Swissie Stamp Set, and if you’ve been waiting for an easy birthday card idea that feels handmade and polished, I think you’ll love this one.

There’s something special about birthday cards—they’re the kind of project that really lets your creativity shine. Whether it’s with bold sentiments, bright coloring, or just a touch of shimmer, you can have so much fun adding little details that make your handmade card feel extra celebratory.

Let me walk you through the design choices I made and why this combo worked so well. No complicated steps, just good old crafty joy.

Easy Happy Birthday Card

The Star of the Show: Celebrate Swissie

I’m such a fan of the Swissie style, and this new stamp set from C.C. Designs is full of personality. The image I used features a little girl balancing a stack of cupcakes, and the second I saw her, I knew she’d be perfect for a clean and dimensional birthday design.

She gives off that classic “life of the party” vibe—which made me want to create a layout where she is the focal point, but the background still brings a little extra something. That’s where embossing and die cutting came in.

Coloring That Pops (Without Stress)

I reached for my Ohuhu Honolulu Brush Markers for this one. They’ve quickly become one of my go-to coloring tools because they blend beautifully and are super budget-friendly. I used the Honolulu Brush 48 Marker Set along with the Skin Tone Set, which I find really useful when working with character stamps like this.

If you’ve ever felt a little unsure about coloring skin tones, here’s a quick tip: pick two skin shades from the same undertone family (warm or cool), and blend in small circular motions. Let it dry and then layer again if needed—it makes a world of difference and adds that natural, glowy look.

And because I love adding a handmade feel, I fussy cut her using my trusty Mini Recoil Snips. They’re small, sharp, and perfect for navigating little cupcake edges.

A Little Texture Goes a Long Way

Let’s talk embossing. I recently picked up a few sets of embossing folders from Michaels—you know how it is, you go in for one adhesive and come out with a bag full of “test-worthy” finds. One of the sets I grabbed was the Flourish Embossing Folders Set by Recollections™, and I was excited to try it out on this card.

Rather than embossing the whole panel, I decided to go with a partial embossing technique to create a bit of contrast. It adds interest without overwhelming the card or competing with the image.

Pro Tip: Partial embossing is a great trick if you want to leave room for a sentiment or create a layered look without using patterned paper. Just line up the folder where you want the texture to stop, and run it halfway through your die-cutting machine. Easy!

Building a Bold Sentiment

I’ve had a happy birthday word die with a shadow layer in my stash for ages, and I always reach for it when I want a sentiment that stands out. For this card, I cut it twice—once in white (Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80 lbs Cardstock) and once in Black Cardstock—and layered them to get that bold, graphic look.

Layered sentiments like this are a great design anchor. They pull the eye in and give your card a clear message while still letting the stamped image shine.

I also used a thin strip of Black Cardstock to cover the embossed seam, tying the sentiment and the mat layer together. It’s one of those little design decisions that might not scream for attention, but really helps pull everything together.

Finishing Touches that Make a Difference

Now, my favorite part—putting it all together. I adhered everything to a top-folding A2 card base, popping up the sentiment with foam adhesive. To make it more fun, I perched my colored image right over the “p’s” in the word happy—so it looks like she’s sitting on the sentiment itself.

To keep everything level (since the sentiment was already popped up), I used a mix of foam tape and liquid glue behind the image. That way, she doesn’t sag or sit at an awkward angle—those tiny things really matter when it comes to clean finishes.

Lastly, I added a few Boiled Sugar – Jelly Drop Hearts from Trinity Stamps for some light-catching sparkle and added white gel pen highlights to bring my coloring to life. Those final touches? They’re where the card truly becomes yours.

A Card That’s Cute, Clean, and Full of Joy

This birthday card came together with a few simple tricks: a fun image, bold sentiment, some embossed texture, and thoughtful layering. And the best part? It doesn’t take a full day or a studio full of tools to make something this cute and dimensional.

So if you’ve got birthday cards to make—or if you’re just in the mood for a little crafty celebrating—I hope today’s sneak peek inspired you to try something new with your stash. Mix your techniques, test out those embossing folders, and don’t be afraid to let your sentiment take center stage.

And of course, stay tuned for more sneak peeks coming soon from C.C. Designs—this release is packed with personality, and I can’t wait to show you what’s next.

Thanks for dropping by today I hope that you found a little spark of creative inspiration with my project today. Wondering what I used in this project? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails in the Materials Used section, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible.

Materials Used:

Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.

Happy Stampin'

Rick Adkins

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