Birthday Cat, Tim Holtz

Hey crafty friends! 👋 I’m popping in to share a card I made using some of my favorite Tim Holtz stamps and stencils from Stampers Anonymous.

Fun fact: Stampers Anonymous doesn’t retire their Tim Holtz designs, so there’s a huge library of awesome stamps and stencils you might not have seen in a while (or totally forgot you had 😉).

Hope this project sparks some inspiration to dig into your stash and get creative! ✨

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Birthday Cat, Tim Holtz

For this playful birthday card, I had so much fun combining Distress Spray Stains with Distress Watercolor Pencils, two mediums that react beautifully together and create so much depth and interest on the background.

I started by creating the background using Distress Spray Stains, letting the colors drip, blend, and do their thing. I love how spray stains naturally create movement and variation without overthinking it. Once that layer was dry, I added stamped images using Distress Watercolor Pencils, which is where the magic really happens. The way the pencil pigment reacts on top of the spray stain background adds another layer of texture and softness, and no two areas look the same.

I stamped the adorable cat and balloons and colored them in with Distress Watercolor Pencils. I love how easy it is to build up color and shading with these pencils. Once everything was watercolored, I fussy cut all of the images and arranged them over the background to bring the scene to life.

To add a little extra sparkle and dimension, I used Distress Rock Candy Clear to accent the balloons, giving them a bit of sparkle. I also added Rock Candy Clear to the main portion of the party hat, and finished off the polka dots with Glossy Accents for a fun contrast of textures. These little details really make the images pop and feel extra festive.

For the sentiment, I kept things bold and clean by white heat embossing it onto black cardstock. I love how the crisp white embossing stands out against the colorful, busy background and grounds the whole design.

If you’re loving these techniques and want to dive deeper, I have online technique classes available now where I walk you step-by-step through working with Distress Spray Stains and Distress Watercolor Pencils. I cover many different techniques, perfect whether you’re just getting started or looking to expand your Distress skills. (linked below)

This card was such a joy to create, and it really highlights how beautifully Distress mediums work together. Mixing sprays, pencils, embossing, and dimensional accents is one of my favorite ways to keep things playful and full of personality, just like this birthday-loving kitty!

Be sure to check out the full supply list, more detail photos, below. I can’t wait to see how you mix and layer your Distress favorites! 💕🎉

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Cardmaking Supplies Used

Supplies I used are linked throughout the post. Click on the picture and you will be taken to the product. I use affiliate links when available which means if you make a purchase I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!