Circus Birthday Card

Who doesn't like the excitement of the circus?
Bring that same excitement to the eyes of a child with this bright birthday card.

Approximate Time: 1 hour

Supplies:

• sheet of cardstock for card
• scraps of cardstock
• computer and printer for clipart
• scissors
• ruler
• fine tip marker
• pencil
• eraser
• tacky glue
• rubber stamps- happy birthday, celebrate
• stamp pads
• pattern sheet
• rotary cuter if you have one

Instructions:

1. Fold your cardstock in half. When you make the circus tent you will end up with two completed tents; you could use one on the inside or save one for another card. Print out the pattern sheet and cut two of the circus tent, one from white and one from red cardstock.
    

2. Divide one of the tents into vertical strips; it will divide equally into 14 one cm strips. (You could cut one from white and color every other one with a red crayon or marker, but I really like the looks of the actual strips.)
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3. Lay the two tents one on top of the other and hold securely while cutting on the lines if you have a rotary cutter or scissors. If you want draw the lines on both tents and cut with scissors, be exact when drawing your spacing. I keep my used rotary blades and use them on paper; saving my new ones for fabric.

4. Keep the strips in line both color and shape wise. Now slide one from one color up and the same one in the opposite color down, repeat with each strip until you make the alternating pattern for two circus tents.
   
    

5. When you are ready to assemble your tents draw a light pencil line where you want the bottom of the tent and starting at one end put glue on the first strip, line it up with the line, continue across butting them tightly together.
   Make sure they are the same length before you put glue on the next piece.
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6. Cut a 3 1/2 inch piece from both red and white cardstock for your entrance; slit the red one in the center all but 1/4 inch. Fold the slit ends back.

7. If you have a brown stamp pad lightly tap the center of the white one to make it look dirty. Crayons would do the same thing or whatever you have. I printed out the "Circus Time", but you could print it on if you so choose; center in on the tent and glue in on.
    
   
    

8. Use your rubber stamps and randomly stamp on the front and the bottom of the inside around the edges. Leave room to write a message in the center or glue a torn piece of cardstock to write on.
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9. Have fun adding the characters as you want. How many clowns, balloons, and other characters you print and use are up to you.
   I use http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images a lot to download free clipart. It is a great site; some of it is copyrighted and is only for sale, but a lot is free for using.
   You can copy and paste or save the pictures into your pictures folders or paste right into your project.

Have fun with your Circus Card and watch the smiles come out as the boy or girl enjoys their time with the clowns!

By Cabin Annie from Loup City, NE