Herd It's Your Birthday Card | Highland Cows | Simon Says Stamp | Stamptember 2025

Hey crafty friends! Today I have a fun birthday card to share that combines rustic textures, layered design, and one very charming Highland cow. This card was made with the Highland Cows Stamp Set and the Modern Teardrops Wafer Dies from Simon Says Stamp’s Stamptember 2025 release, and I can already tell this set is going to be a favorite. The playful sentiment and cozy country feel make it perfect for creating cards that are both unique and memorable.

Herd It's Your Birthday Card | Highland Cows | Simon Says Stamp | Stamptember 2025

A Highland Cow That Steals the Show

I couldn’t resist starting with the larger cow head image from the Highland Cows Stamp Set. There’s something about that scruffy hair and curious expression that makes me smile every time. I stamped the image in Cocoa Ink onto Neenah Solar White 80 lb Cardstock and pulled out my Ohuhu Brush Markers for coloring. Blending shades of warm browns brought the texture of the fur to life and gave the cow a lot of personality. At the time I didn’t have the coordinating dies, so I fussy cut the image. If you’re like me and not always in the mood to fussy cut, you’ll be happy to know the dies are now available as part of this Stamptember release.

Pro Tip: When fussy cutting a detailed image, leave a small white border around the edges. It’s not only faster, but it also helps the image pop against the background.

Creating a Rustic Woodgrain Background

I wanted the background to have a natural, rustic feel—almost like barn wood planks behind the cow. Instead of reaching for a specialty background stamp, I created my own woodgrain effect. I started with a panel of Neenah Desert Storm Cardstock cut to 4" x 5 ¼" and stamped a few of the smaller images from the same stamp set to build some subtle texture. Then I scored the panel every half inch, and with the edge of a Caramel Ink pad, lightly swiped across the cardstock. The ink caught beautifully on the raised areas, instantly giving the look of woodgrain.

This technique is one of my favorites because it’s quick, inexpensive, and you don’t need a special stamp. It’s also a great solution when you want a wood background but prefer a softer, more organic look than patterned paper might give.

Layered Frames for Extra Dimension

To ground my cow image and give it a little spotlight, I reached for the Modern Teardrops Wafer Dies. I cut one shape from Desert Storm Cardstock and another, slightly larger, from Solar White. The Desert Storm piece got a soft ink blending around the edges with Caramel Ink, which added warmth and helped it stand out from the background. Layering the two die cuts created a simple but striking frame for the focal point.

Pro Tip: When using geometric dies like these, try cutting the same shape in two different cardstock colors and layering them slightly offset. It adds depth without overwhelming the design.

Finishing the Design with a Playful Sentiment

The sentiment “I Herd It’s Your” is what makes this set so fun. I stamped it onto a scrap of Desert Storm Cardstock in Caramel Ink, trimmed it down, and placed it just below the cow’s head. To complete the card, I mounted everything onto a standard A2 base made from Neenah Ultra Thick 110 lb Cardstock.

I couldn’t resist finishing the inside too. I stamped the word “Birthday” along with the sitting cow image in Cocoa Ink. It ties everything together and gives the recipient a little surprise when they open the card.

Final Thoughts

This card makes me smile every time I look at it. Between the rustic background, the layered framing, and that adorable Highland cow, it’s a design that works well for birthdays but could easily be adapted for other occasions. If you’ve ever struggled with creating woodgrain backgrounds, I hope this gives you a new idea to try. Scoring and ink pad swiping is a simple solution that delivers beautiful results.

The Highland Cows Stamp Set and Modern Teardrops Wafer Dies are part of Simon Says Stamp’s Stamptember 2025 release, and I think they’ll quickly become staples for creating fun, pun-filled cards. If you’re looking for a unique set that combines charm with versatility, this is definitely one to add to your stash.

Thanks for dropping by today I hope that you found a little spark of creative inspiration with my project today. Wondering what I used in this project? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails in the Materials Used section, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible.

Materials Used:

Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.

Happy Crafting,

Rick Adkins

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