Hi, crafty friends! Lauren Taylor Made here, and I’m so excited to share my latest card project on the Miss Ink Stamps blog! Today, I’m sharing an interactive birthday card that feels straight out of a spellbinding classroom—complete with stone arches, floating books, and a glowing prophecy sphere. I used the Castle Arches Dies, Magic Triangles and Perspective Floor Stencils, and the Fortune Teller Stamps and Dies from the Miss Ink Stamps Magic Collection, along with an EZ Light from Pear Blossom Press to bring that crystal ball and prophecy to life. It’s the perfect blend of magic and wizardry for any aspiring witch.
To create my “castle,” I ink-blended Shaded Lilac and Victorian Velvet Distress Oxide Inks through the Magic Triangles Stencil, mimicking the soft glow you might see as you walk through enchanted hallways. A spritz of Antique Linen Distress Spritz added just the right amount of sparkle, like a spell mid-cast. For the cobblestone floor, I used the Perspective Floor Stencil with Walnut Stain Distress Oxide, then puzzle-pieced the Castle Arches Dies together from kraft, magenta, and shimmery blue cardstocks to suggest ancient stone walls, rich tapestries, and a starry view beyond the window.
The fortune teller’s classroom came to life with images colored using OLO markers: a wise teacher with her glowing sphere, a mischievous black cat perched on a chair, and stacks of spellbooks ready for study. To add a bit of magic, I punched holes behind the crystal ball and smaller prophecy orb, threading LEDs from a Pear Blossom Press EZ Light through the back of the panel. When pressed, two lights shine behind the crystal ball and one behind the orb—like peering into the future during a Divination lesson. Thin foam adhesive kept the glow contained so the lights really beam through the “glass.”
I stamped “push” near the EZ Light button so the recipient knows how to activate the spell, then layered my front panel onto an A2 card base with foam tape to house the battery pack. The sentiments—“I See Cake in Your Future” on the front and “This Will Be Your Best Year Yet” inside—complete the illusion that this birthday card came straight from a magical academy. Press the button, and the whole scene lights up like a well-cast charm. For a closer look at the process (and a peek at the glow in action), you can watch my full video tutorial linked above. Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today—happy crafting!