Birthday

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How to create an adorable birthday card using this popular mirrored word design!

The mirrored word design has really blown up all over the crafting world (especially in vinyl projects)! But, now you can easily incorporate it into a stylish birthday card using your Silhouette Cameo.

This card was super quick and easy to make and can be embellished many different ways to suit your own personal card making style!

You can either print out this mirrored word design or use your Silhouette Sketch pens or Pen Holder! And I’ll show you how!

Get the free template for this Mirrored Word card!

You can download the free SVG/DXF/PDF pattern for this Happy Birthday Mirrored Word card in my Resource Library.

Let’s get started!

This post probably contains affiliate links (which means if you make a purchase after clicking the link, I earn a commission without any additional cost to you). You can read my full disclosure policy HERE.

Quick Links to Information in this Post

• How-to Video (click here to watch on YouTube)
• Supplies
• How to Use Silhouette Sketch Pens
• How to Use Silhouette Pen Holder
• How to get cleaner cuts with card stock
• Card assembly
• Free Happy Birthday Mirrored Word template

How-to Video

You can watch a full tutorial video below or in full HD on my YouTube channel:

Supplies

Step 1: Download Mirrored Word template/printable

First, you’ll need to download my free Happy Birthday Mirrored Word template/printable from my Resource Library (you can get the password at the bottom of this post!)

Then, in the Resource Library click the Happy Birthday Mirrored Word link to download the file. The file is a zipped folder so to access the files inside, you’ll need to upzip the folder.

The template/printable is saved in SVG, DXF, and PDF format. Here’s what the SVG file looks like in Silhouette Studio:

If you’re using Basic Edition (the free version) of Silhouette Studio, you’ll need to use the DXF file. The DXF file will look a little different than the SVG, but you can cut & sketch it pretty much the same way.

For tips on how to more easily work with DXF files, check out this post I wrote by clicking HERE.

In this design, the pink lines are intended to be sketched, the black lines are intended to be cut.

I’ve also included this as a PDF file in my Resource Library. That way you could print out the pattern and cut it out by hand.

Step 2: Sketch & Cut Mirrored Design

***Or print this design by opening the PDF file and sending it to your printer.

The PDF file prints with cutting indicator marks on it, that you can line up in your paper trimmer to cut it out.

How to use Silhouette Sketch Pens

Silhouette Sketch Pens can be used to sketch this design with pretty much all of the Silhouette Machines (Cameo, Portrait, & Curio).

If you’re using a Cameo 4 machine, you’ll need to put the Sketch Pen in the blue Sketch Pen adapter that came with your machine. Only the Sketch Pens with the black bodies are compatible with the Cameo 4 adapter.

Place the Sketch Pen into your machine’s tool carriage. For Cameo 3, put the Sketch Pen in Tool Carriage 2.

How to use the Silhouette Pen Holder

You have even more options to customize this card with the Silhouette Pen Holder! I used a Classic 10 Bold White Gelly Roll Pen to sketch this design on black card stock with fantastic results!

The Pen Holder comes with 3 collet adapters (small, medium, & large). For Gelly Roll pens, the medium (the white one) one fits perfectly.

Slide the pen through the collet, then put it into the Pen Holder (with the cap of the Pen Holder ON!). Push the pen all the way down into the Pen Holder.

Slide the collet down the pen to the top of the Pen Holder. Then, while holding the Pen Holder, twist the collet into the Pen Holder.

Lastly, remove the cap and put the Pen Holder into the tool carriage of your machine. For Cameo 3, put the Pen Holder in Tool Carriage 2.

If you are using a Cameo 4 machine, you need to use the Silhouette Pen Holder for Cameo 4 tool.

Silhouette Studio Sketch Settings

Now, go to the Send panel in Silhouette Studio. Click the Line tab. Next, drag the pink box to the top of the table, if it’s not there already (so the sketching is done first).

Here are the Silhouette Studio sketch settings I used:

• Material Settings: Cardstock, Plain
• Action: Sketch
• Tool: choose Sketch Pen or Pen Holder depending on what you’re using

For Cameo 3, click the right circle in the Tool No. column (it will turn blue) because the Sketch Pen/Pen Holder should be in Tool Carriage 2.

Silhouette Studio Cut Settings

• Material Settings: Cardstock, Textured Heavy (80 lb)
• Action: Cut
• Tool: AutoBlade

Lastly, click Send to sketch and cut the card design!

Step 3: Cut out the other elements

Now, cut out the “Happy Birthday” shadow from black card stock. Then, cut out the letters from patterned paper.

How to get cleaner cuts with card stock

When doing these cuts, turn Line Segment Overcut on! Like the name implites, with Line Segment Overcut turned on, the blade will begin cutting the material 0.01mm before the design line begins, then lift the blade between each line, and end the line 0.01mm longer than the actual design.

The overcut is SUPER small and hardly noticeable. It’s designed to create a clean cut corner for each point where two lines meet. This is a great option for small block fonts with sharp edges like the one in this card. Rounded edges won’t be affected though.

Step 4: Put it all together

First, adhere the patterned paper letters to the black shadow. I used my Xyron to turn the letters into stickers so I could easily stick them to the black card stock.

Next, if you want, you could go over each letter with the Wink of Stella Glitter Brush Pen in Glitter Clear to give them a slight shimmer. This is totally optional (I just love shimmer!).

Next, cut two strips of patterned paper that each measure 0.75 inches by 4 1/8 inches. Then, apply adhesive along one of the 4 1/8 inch edge of each strip of paper.

Next, adhere those patterened paper strips to either edge of the sketch background design. This should create a final card panel that, when layered on the card stock base, will have a very small border all the way around the edge.

Then, apply adhesive to the back of the shadowed sentiment. Foam mounting tape is optional for this; it just pops up the sentiment from the background. Then, adhere the sentiment to the background.

If you want, you can lay down a few spirals of silver metallic thread before adhering the sentiment, but of course this is an optional embellishment!

Next, apply adhesive to the back of the entire panel, and adhere it to your 4.25 x 5.5 inch card stock base. Now you’re ready for embellishing!

This card has so many possibilities! Here are a few I created:

If you’re more a fan of clean and simple cards, then you can totally skip the embellishing. I just LOVE embellishments so I add a lot of them!

The mirroring in the “Happy Birthday” senitment is an eye-catching design just as it is, so it’s beautiful just on it’s own! You really can’t go wrong with this card!

Did you make it? I’d love to hear from you!

If you made this card, I’d love to see it! You can tag me on Facebook or email me at hello@lindsaydickason.com.

And if you give me permission, I’d love to share a picture of your card on this blog post!

Let me know what you think in the comment section!

And if you have any questions about this post, you can ask me either in the comment section of this post or email me at hello@lindsaydickason.com.

Happy crafting my friends,

Make this card with my free Mirrored Word card template/printable!

You can download my Happy Birthday Mirrored Word card pattern by subscribing (free) below to get the password to my Resource Library.

Want to remember this for later? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board!