Starburst Birthday Card SVG

A burst of light

Think of a firework seen straight on, or the rays of an old cinema poster. Narrow wedge-shaped rays spread out from the middle of a square card, alternating long and short, each tapering to a point toward the center. Inside the ring of rays is a plain circle of paper, which holds the greeting: Happy in a rounded script and BIRTHDAY in spaced capitals, with a short row of four dots below. A small five-point star sits in each corner of the card.

With nothing but rays and words, the card has a clean graphic look, and it changes mood completely with the color behind it.

Pieces and weeding

The front is one piece with 49 cut-outs. The rays are long and narrow, so cut them slowly; their tips are the finest part. The closed centers of the letters are held by stencil bridges. It passes our cut checks from about 4.5 inches wide.

Color layer

A single Dusty blue layer, a soft gray-blue, holds the front.

Making the card

1. Set the width to 5.5 inches for a 6 by 6 card and measure the square.
2. Cut the front from 65 to 80 lb card.
3. Choose a backing: gold or silver mirror card for a firework flash, bright yellow for sunshine, or a soft ivory for something quieter.
4. Glue the front to the backing around the edges and on the plain center circle, then mount it on a folded square card.
5. Send it in a 6.5 inch square envelope. Ask at the post office about the rate for a square envelope.

Sizes

Below 4.5 inches the rays become too thin to cut. For a 4 by 4 card or small tags, print the color file and use Print Then Cut.

Rainbow backing

Cut strips of colored card in a rainbow order, glue them side by side onto a square backing, and then glue the front on top. Every ray picks up a different color, while the plain center stays calm. This works well for a child’s birthday, and it is a good way to use up scraps.

For a milestone

The center circle is solid paper, which makes it a handy place to add something. Cut a small number from mirror card, such as a 30 or a 50, and glue it on the circle just above the greeting for a milestone birthday.

Recoloring

Navy on gold, black on silver, or pale pink on white all suit the design. See changing SVG colors to try them first.

Pairs well with

The Stepper Birthday Card uses a smaller starburst on a fancy fold, and the Lace Envelope Liner comes in the same dusty blue.