Welcome back to the craft room and today’s How to Make an Alcohol Ink Birthday Card post. Have you ever dug through a forgotten corner of your craft room and found supplies you completely forgot you had? I found the Brass & Bliss Open Greenery #2 Die set that I bought last September, still unopened! Then I ran across my alcohol inks and discovered colors I don’t even remember buying. Today I’m finally putting those forgotten supplies to work to create an alcohol ink birthday card.
Choosing Alcohol Ink Colors
Let’s start today’s alcohol ink birthday card by creating the background. Because I don’t even remember buying some of these colors, I needed a little help, beginning with a full inventory of what I had. The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted the background to revolve around the color purple. After figuring out which colors I owned, I plugged them into Grok AI and asked it to suggest combinations centered around purple.
To get the best idea of what those combinations would look like, I pulled out my well-hoarded Archivers Glossy Cardstock. I trimmed several panels to 2 3/4″ x 4 1/4″ and added the colors with Alcohol Blending Solution. To move and mix the inks, I used my Tim Holtz Air Blower. The samples turned out OK, but I definitely need more practice with this tool before I’ll get picture-perfect results.
Soft & Pretty
The first suggestion is what Grok called Soft & Pretty. It uses Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks in Purple Twilight, Wild Plum, and Pearl Mixative. As I mentioned above, my technique still needs some work, but I was able to get a good idea of how beautifully these colors work together.
Deeper & Richer
The second combination uses Eggplant, Wild Plum, and just a hint of Boysenberry. It creates such a rich, beautiful purple. Even though it also includes Wild Plum, the other two colors give it a completely different look from the first sample.
Cooler Purple
The third combination uses Purple Twilight with either Stream or Glacier. For today’s sample I chose Glacier, and that may have been its downfall. Stream was one of the first alcohol ink colors I ever purchased, and I know it leans more toward the blue-green side of the color wheel. Glacier, on the other hand, is a true blue. I think that’s one of the reasons this combination isn’t my favorite. It also could have benefited from a little more Purple Twilight.
Berry Leaning
The final combination leans toward the berry family with Boysenberry, Wild Plum, and Pearl Mixative. Once again, it’s a beautiful combination and one I’ll definitely keep in mind for future projects.
Creating an Alcohol Ink Birthday Card Background
Even though I loved almost every color combination, one really stood out to me. For today’s alcohol ink birthday card, I kept coming back to the first combination of Purple Twilight, Wild Plum, and Pearl Mixative. Since I’m still building confidence with the air blower technique, I decided to fall back on the tried-and-true felt applicator method.
Please remember that when working with alcohol inks, it’s important to work in a well-ventilated area.
No matter how careful you are, alcohol inks can stain your hands and clothing.
Wearing gloves and an apron is an easy way to add an extra layer of protection.
I started by adding a few drops of Purple Twilight and Wild Plum to the felt applicator. After placing a single drop of Pearl Mixative in the center, I added a little Alcohol Blending Solution. You can also use isopropyl alcohol for this technique, but there will be subtle differences in the finished background.
To apply the ink to glossy cardstock or Yupo paper, gently dab the applicator onto the surface. To blend the colors even more and avoid creating a repeating pattern, be sure to rotate the applicator as you work. The photo below shows what my cardstock looked like after the first layer of ink was applied.
Looking back now, this is where I should have stopped because it really was a soft and pretty background. But for some reason I wanted the color to be darker. I added a few more layers of Purple Twilight and Wild Plum until I had a much deeper background.
While it’s a beautiful purple background, it’s much darker than I originally envisioned. After looking at it for a while, I decided to make a second background and stay closer to the softer color combination that first caught my eye. I also prefer the more even shimmer from the Pearl Mixative in the second background.
Preparing the Open Greenery #2 Die
Back in 2025, while getting ready for the Stamp & Scrapbook Expo in Loveland, Colorado, I was putting together my shopping list. The year before, I had picked up a fantastic leaf die set from Brass & Bliss, so I headed to their website to see what else they had. When I came across the Open Greenery #2 die set, I knew it just HAD to come home with me! Their booth was the very first place I stopped, and this die set became the first of many purchases that weekend.
So why did it take me so long to use it? Honestly, I have no idea. Somewhere along the way it ended up at the bottom of a box, where it patiently waited to be rediscovered. I’m so glad I finally found it again because it was definitely worth the wait.
Since this was my first time using the die, I wanted to see how well it would cut 110lb Recollections cardstock with my older Sizzix Big Shot. I know this machine has a few pressure issues, so I wanted to give it a fair test without adding any extra shims. After running it through the machine twice, rotating the die for the second pass, I was happy with the results. Two leaves still didn’t cut completely, but I knew that was more of a “me” problem than a die problem.
Next, I cut another piece of 110lb cardstock and added a simple paper shim, which I have to do with about 99% of my die collection anyway. This time it cut perfectly! Seeing those delicate leaves release so cleanly made me wonder why I had waited so long to use this die. It really is a gorgeous design.
Stamping the Birthday Sentiment
I knew from the beginning that this would be an alcohol ink birthday card, but it still took me a minute to find the sentiment stamp. Honestly, I’m not sure why, because I almost always reach for the Kaiser Kraft Occasions Happy Birthday stamp. It’s simple, elegant, and works beautifully for masculine, feminine, or children’s cards. And of course, if I’m using my favorite stamp, I’m also reaching for my favorite ink—Gina K Designs Amalgam Ink in Obsidian.
To stamp the sentiment, I used the leftover cardstock from the die cut. Rather than stamping right along the edge, I gave myself a little extra room on both sides so I’d have some flexibility when it came time to finish the design. Once I was happy with the placement, I trimmed the sentiment to about 1/2″ tall.
Sizing the Card Layers
Probably the hardest decision for this project was deciding how large I wanted the alcohol inked background panel to be. Since I started with a full 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ panel, I could have used the entire piece as the card front. As pretty as that would have been, it felt like the background was competing with the greenery instead of complementing it.
After staring at it for a while and trying to picture the finished card, I finally decided to trim the panel down to 3 1/4″ x 4 1/2″.
Because I stamped the sentiment in black, I wanted to repeat that color elsewhere on the card. A black linen-textured cardstock mat behind both the alcohol inked panel and the sentiment was the perfect way to tie everything together. For the larger panel, I trimmed the black mat to approximately 3 3/8″ x 4 5/8″.
Assembling the Alcohol Ink Birthday Card
My card base is made from 110lb Recollections white cardstock cut to 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ and scored in the center at 4 1/4″. After adhering the alcohol inked panel to its black mat with Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue, I attached it to the card base. I really love how the 3/8″ white border frames the background and helps all of those beautiful purple tones stand out.
A Little Behind-the-Scenes
This is where things took an unexpected detour!
At this point in the video tutorial, I remembered that I still needed close-up photos of the two alcohol ink backgrounds. Had I been thinking, I would have taken my phone off the mount, snapped a few pictures, put everything back in place, and continued filming.
Instead, I held the panels up to the camera, refocused for the close-up shots, and thought, “No big deal.”
Well… it became a big deal.
I completely forgot to refocus the camera back onto my work surface before I continued filming.
Thankfully, I still had the original alcohol ink panel, so I was able to recreate the final steps of the card. If you’ve noticed the next few photos look a little different, now you know why! Sometimes those little behind-the-scenes moments become part of the story.
To finish the card, it was finally time to add the beautiful die cut. Since I didn’t want glue squeezing out around all those delicate leaves, I applied tiny dots of adhesive to the tips and center of the leaves, and a few spots along the stem. If you look closely at the photo below, you might even be able to spot some of the glue.
Once the branch was in place, I gently pressed it onto the card front before setting a large acrylic stamping block over the top while the glue dried. The extra weight helps ensure good contact without risking damage to those delicate leaves.
For the sentiment, I decided to place it across the width of the alcohol ink background. The black mat measures approximately 3 3/8″ x 5/8″. I trimmed just a tiny bit from the left side of the sentiment strip before centering it at 3 1/4″ wide.
Because the Open Greenery #2 die was cut from 110lb cardstock, I needed to raise the sentiment slightly so it would sit nicely over the die cut. I used black Thin 3D Foam Squares, placing one on each end and a third near the center to prevent the strip from sagging. As always, I added a tiny dab of Bearly Art Glue to each foam square, giving myself a few extra seconds to adjust the placement before everything was permanently attached.
Finished Alcohol Ink Birthday Card
Below are both of the finished cards side by side. The original alcohol inked panel that I finished the tutorial with is on the left, while the card I completed during the original filming is on the right. They’re both beautiful, but I still prefer the softer background with the extra Pearl Mixative. I think it lets the greenery take center stage while still showing off all those gorgeous purple tones.
I have to say, I absolutely love how this alcohol ink birthday card turned out. The Open Greenery #2 die set just HAD to come home with me from last year’s Stamp & Scrapbook Expo… and then it was promptly forgotten! I’m so glad I finally rediscovered it because it was definitely worth the wait.
I’m also really glad I decided to make a second alcohol ink background. The first one wasn’t bad, but it ended up darker than I originally envisioned. By lightening the background and adding a little more Pearl Mixative, I got the softer look I was hoping for. Apparently, second attempts were the theme of this project!
Bonus Tip: Alcohol Inks on White Vinyl
While filming this alcohol ink birthday card, I shared a little bonus tip that didn’t actually make it onto the finished project. If you’ve never tried using alcohol inks on white adhesive vinyl, it’s a fun technique that’s worth experimenting with.
In the video, I tested two of the purple color combinations on white adhesive vinyl and really liked how they looked. I haven’t tried cutting the vinyl with my Cricut yet, but that’s next on my list. I’m also curious to see whether the transfer tape will lift any of the alcohol ink from the vinyl or if the color will stay put.
Final Thoughts
Thank you so much for joining me for today’s How to Make an Alcohol Ink Birthday Card tutorial. Rediscovering this forgotten die and those long-neglected alcohol inks reminded me that inspiration is often sitting right there in our own craft rooms. Sometimes we just have to dig through a box or two before we find it!
Using the Open Greenery #2 die made me even more excited for this year’s Stamp & Scrapbook Expo in Loveland. If this project taught me anything, it’s that I should probably spend a little more time shopping my own craft stash before bringing home new treasures. As it turns out, this isn’t the only unopened supply I bought at last year’s Expo, so who knows what other forgotten gems are waiting to be rediscovered.
Have you ever shopped your own craft stash and found supplies you completely forgot you had? Let me know in the comments below—I’d love to hear what you rediscovered!
If you enjoyed making this alcohol ink birthday card, be sure to have a look at some of my other alcohol ink projects for even more inspiration.
Until then, have a fantastic week ahead, and I’ll see you back in the craft room again soon!
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