Sweet Birthday Wishes

If you are like me, there is always a need for birthday cards, so I am sharing the latest one I created for a friend. 

The Floral Wreath image from Just For Fun Rubber Stamps was colored with Tombow markers.  The yellow card background was created with a die cut and then layered on Persimmon cardstock.  To create more dimension I chose to die cut a window and layer this over the image.  The same circle die and a slightly larger scalloped circle die were used to create the border around the window.  If you wanted a less labor intensive version, you could simply die cut the image with a circle die and layer on a scalloped die cut and add to the card front.  I also chose to have the bow at the top of the floral wreath.

The JFF sentiment, Sweet Birthday Wishes, was stamped in black on a hand cut banner and layered across the image.  This helped fill the open window without covering up to much of the lovely floral wreath.  I think I will be using versions of this card more often.  

Have a great week.

A Bouquet Of Wishes...

Just For Fun Rubber Stamps has many larger images that are perfect for a standard card.  I decided to combine two of these so I needed a longer card.  My card measures 7 ½” x 4”.

Their Large Canning Jar was stamped on white cardstock and then Nature's Bouquet was stamped, with the stems inside the jar.  Both were colored with watercolors.  Their Firefly Silhouette was stamped several times but yellow stripes were added to give the appearance of bees.

Yellow splatters were added to the front and this was layered on bright yellow.  This was made as a birthday card for my friend and fellow designer, April Williams, so the “a bouquet of wishes…” sentiment from JFF's Sentiments 1 Unmounted Sheet was stamped across the jar.

Don’t forget there are a few more days to enter Just For Fun's March Challenge with the theme of “Movement”.  See the details on their blog here.

Need Another Birthday Card

The card theme I use the most is Birthday.  It seems like there is always someone I know celebrating another year and I need a birthday card for them.  When I color an image or create a card design I really like, I try to make duplicates to keep on hand.  Adding some variation to the card layout helps me create additional cards.

I recently helped celebrated my friend, April Williams', birthday so I needed to make her a card.  I wanted to use the Three Delightful Cupcakes image from Just For Fun so I stamped it with Memento Ink and colored with Copic Markers. 

After adding glitter to the cupcakes, this was layered on  some designer birthday paper, along with JFF's The Best Things in Life... sentiment.  Fun and easy, and perfect for a man, woman, or child.

I really liked how the cupcakes came out and still had some of the designer paper so I created a 2^nd card.  I needed a card for a  a sketch 

so decided to combine both.

I used all the same colors but changed the layout to match the sketch, added some ribbon, and used JFF's ...cupcake kind of day sentiment.

Which card is your favorite?

E. Marie

Just For Fun March Challenge

It is the beginning of a new month and with the arrival of March there is a new challenge on the Just For Fun Blog.  The theme for March is “Birthday”.  

 Just for Fun’s Birthday Background was used to create this card.  Three different colors of Memento ink were added directly to the stamp and the background was stamped two times.  One was layered on purple and added to the card front.

The second layer was cut into strips and three strips were cut into candle flames on one end.  After adding additional ink to the flames, these were layered on purple and popped up on top of the first background.

Here is a quick hint – I actually used white cardstock for all the layers.  I simply added ink to the edges for the purple layers.  This is a great way to have perfect color coordinating layers.

We always need birthday cards so this is an easy challenge to enter.  Head over to the JFF blog for the challenge details and more inspiration from my fellow designers.

E. Marie

Happy Birthday Tunnel Card

This week was my mom’s 89^th birthday.  It was a bit difficult for her because my father has recently been moved out of the house for physical therapy and will then be placed in a care facility due to his health.  A few tears were shed by all despite the joy of the celebration.  Since I live so far away, I could not be there but made this special card for her.

The card base is yellow and I added a layer of decorative paper to the front.  The top and bottom glitter borders were created using the Glitter Masking technique with a candle border punch and Ocean and Pretty Princess glitters.  Note that the Ocean glitter is semi-transparent so it looked more green on top of the yellow cardstock.  To avoid this, place your tape on a white piece of cardstock to create the border and then adhere this to the card front.

The Happy Birthday was die cut from a piece of white cardstock covered with a Super Adhesive sheet, using Memory Box’s Happy Birthday Extravaganza die.  The protective layer was removed and Cloud Nine Velvet glitter was added before adding to the card front.

For the inside I used a piece of blue cardstock and created a tunnel card.  I used Spellbinders’ Gold Labels Four to cut the center window and then used a slightly smaller Label Four die to cut a window from a pink piece and layered this behind the window after I embossed the blue piece.  I trimmed about 1/4" from each side before adhering to the inside to allow room for a strip of 1/8” Tear-ific Tape on each side.  This was covered with Pretty Princess Glitter.

I stamped and colored the sweet Birthday Friends and then fussy cut them and added them to the sides of the window.  I used a glue pen to add Ocean and Pretty Princess glitter to the hats, blowers, and cake.  The sentiment from the Happy Birthday set was stamped with Memento Rose Bud ink, die cut with a Labels Four die, and adhered to the center.

I hope this card added a little cheer to her day.

E. Marie

I entered this card in the following challenge:

Scrapy Land Challenge #18 – Birthdays/Celebrations (PLUS using any brand of die Scrapy Land sells)

Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge – Anything Goes

Addicted To Stamps and More Challenge #146 – Anything Goes

Fan-Tastic Tuesday May Challenge 87: Anything goes with a twist ... Add Some Texture

Love To Scrap! Challenge Blog LTSCB #54 - Anything Goes!

MAWTT Challenge - Texture

Papertake Weekly Challenge – Take Your Pick (Product Theme - Use glitter)

Party Time Tuesday Challenge #198 - Anything Goes

The Pink Elephant Challenge TPE300 – "Anything Goes"

Going Grey With Scrap-Creations Challenge: Celebrations

Happy 30th Birthday

This summer I gained a wonderful son when my daughter got married.  Today is his 30^th birthday so I wanted to make him a very special card.  He is a wine connoisseur but also has recently opened and manages a new Gus’ Spicy Fried Chicken restaurant so I debated to go with a wine theme or a funny chicken theme.  In the end I decided to stay with the wine theme and knew the Sparkle N Sprinkle’s Wine Tableau stamp set would be perfect.

I found some unique glossy kraft cardstock in my stash and used this for the card base and also for all images.  This provided a unique challenge for the coloring.  I used Copic markers but they colored differently on the glossy coating.  I did a basic coloring and then added streaks of the same color to get some shading and texture.  I loved how this worked on the wood grain.

The image was heat embossed with Log Cabin embossing powder, fussy cut, and popped up on distressed layers of wine and green cardstock.  I used a Versamarker to add Velvet Sparkle embossing powder to various areas.  The sentiment was heat embossed with Pear Star embossing powder.

For the inside of the card, I created the look of the wooden table top by running a piece of this glossy cardstock through an embossing folder and then used the “streak” technique again with a copic marker.  Then I did a little splattering with some diluted Distress ink, though this seemed to just blend in.

I stamped, colored, and fussy cut the wine glass from the Chianti stamp set.  This was intertwined in a die cut using the Memory Box Happy Birthday Extravaganza die.  This was actually die cut from the same green cardstock from the layer on the front, covered with Versamark ink and Velvet Sparkle EP, and heat set.  The picture just doesn’t show the green coloring for some reason.

Happy 30^th, Brad!!

E. Marie

I entered this card in the following challenges:

Scrapy Land Challenge #12 - Splat! PLUS using any brand of die Scrapy Land sells.  (Use spray mists, inks, paint, etc)

Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge – Anything Goes

Addicted To Stamps and More Challenge #133 – Holiday

All Sorts Challenge Week 299 – The Color Purple

Crafty Calendar February Challenge - Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew Challenge #81 - Birthday

Fussy and Fancy Challenge 133 - Tic Tac Toe (Sentiment/Wet Embossing/Sparkle)

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge – Distressing

Love To Scrap Challenge LTSCB #48 - Anything Goes!

Papertake Weekly Challenge – Take Your Pick (Colour Theme - Use any ‘cool’ colors/Product Theme - Use Kraft card)

Party Time Tuesday Challenge #195  - Anything Goes Theme

The Pink Elephant Challenge TPE287 - "Anything Goes"

Scrap and Crafts Inspiration Challenge #3 – Birthday

Sister Act Card Challenge #94 - Anything Goes

TTCRD Challenge – Anything Goes

Wags N Whiskers Challenge 148: Use Kraft

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #172 - Anything Goes