Build a Birthday

Here's a fun card for all ages--the darling shaker card:

This uses the new Build a Birthday--a very versatile and fun set.

I started with a Crushed Curry Base.  The next layer is Whisper White, run through the Big Shot with the Large Polka Dot Embossing Folder.

Now for the fun:

I took a piece of Cardstock Vellum, folded in half, and taped it closed (on three sides, to start) with Washi Tape.  Then I punched stars in Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay and Basic Black, using the Confetti Stars Border Punch, and added them to my pouch, along with some Bermuda Bay and Gold Sequins.  Then I sealed up the top.

This was adhered to my card front using Multipurpose Glue.

My candles were stamped and snipped using Mambo Melon, Island Indigo and Cucumber Crush inks.  Then they were adhered with Dimensionals.  Finally a layer of Dazzling Details was spread on the candle flames (doesn't look so good here, but it's cute in real life!).

Voila!  A celebration in a card!

All products can be ordered here. 

Build A Birthday Photopolymer Stamp Set

$16.00

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$8.50

Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$7.00

Polka Dot Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

$7.50

Vellum 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$6.50

Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$7.00

Rich Razzleberry 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$7.00

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$7.00

Confetti Stars Punch

$22.00

Dazzling Details

$2.50

Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim

$5.00

Gold Sequin Trim

$5.00

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

$4.00

Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Island Indigo Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Cucumber Crush Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Stampin' Dimensionals

$4.00

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Birthday Month!

Another birthday in the household:  this time for my brother, Warren.
Warren and his lovely wife, Lynn, live about 90 minutes away from me, and my sister, Holly, with her husband, Kenton, live 6 hours away.  Yesterday we all got together to celebrate my brother's BIG birthday.  Holly and Kenton had driven up to my house Friday evening, and we all piled in the car early Saturday to make the 90 minute trek to my brother's...it was a surprise!  And surprise we did!  As we pulled up to the house, we all donned party hats, grabbed some "blowers" and jumped out of the car.  Warren, who had seen us from his kitchen window turned to his wife and asked, "Did we forget something?"  It didn't take long for him to realize he was just birthday-bombed!

We spent a lovely day reminiscing and enjoying each other before going out to a fantastic Italian dinner.  Then back to the house for birthday cake, before leaving for the trip home.  Just a wonderful day; I am truly blessed to have such a close and warm relationship with my siblings and spouses!

So of course I had to create a special card for my bro...I saw a shaker card using Washi tape to seal the edges and was intrigued.  However, my version is quite different (I used a lot of Dimensional edges to pop up my Window Sheet, and then Washi to cover the edges).  Take a look:

I wanted to use the large sentiment from Occasions 4 You, so I made a 3" x 6" card (start with a 6" x 6" piece of cardstock, scored and folded in half).  I put the Dimensional strips all the way around the edge and then dumped in lots of stars (I used the Star Border Punch on Basic Black, Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay and Silver Glimmer Paper to get a pile of stars).

 Then I carefully laid a 3" x 6" piece of Window Sheet over the Dimensionals, sealing in the stars.  Then for the Washi Tape--I pulled out the Epic Day tape with the Basic Gray and White stripes, but found I didn't have enough--oh no!  Fortunately my stash revealed some left over Washi from the Holiday Catalog...to the rescue!  This was placed over the edges all the way around, effectively "sealing" the card.

I stamped the sentiment with Bermuda Bay ink, cut the banner shape and added a strip of Silver Glimmer Paper along the bottom.  I also stamped "Woohoo!" (from Big News) in Crushed Curry and hand-snipped it; this was attached to a little flat stick that I mashed into my Basic Gray ink pad.  All of this is popped up on top of the Window Sheet with Dimensionals.

I carried the Washi tape theme to the inside, as well as on the front of the envelope.

Needless to say, my brother liked his card, and it was a perfect ending to a perfect birthday!

All supplies can be purchased here.

What have you created today?

Occasions 4 You Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$18.95

Occasions 4 You Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$14.95

Stampin' Dimensionals

$3.95

Window Sheets Base Material

$4.95

Epic Day Designer Washi Tape

$4.95

Basic Gray 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Silver Glimmer Paper

$4.95

Big News Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$43.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

A Christmas Card of a Different Color

I have to admit that while I usually make most of my Christmas cards using some shade of reds and greens, I occasionally like to mix it up a bit.  I've had a few "Blue Christmas" cards (here ) and some that are mostly greens (here).

But this time, I really took it to another level, and I'm still wondering if I like it.  Take a look:

Yes, it really is a black and white Christmas card.  I saw the idea (although it was all white, fewer layers and used red and green sequins) on Kimberly Van Diepen's blog (here) AND I happened to have a jar of black punched stars from another project that I made sitting on my desk.  I had been wanting to make a shaker card using the black and silver stars, so this seemed like a good place to start.

Using the "Joy" from the fabulous Wonderful Wreath Framelits dies, I ran it through my Big Shot with a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  I kept the "joy" cutout for another project, and am using the negative space for this card.

I then adhered a piece of Window Sheet to the back of the cutout.

My card base is Whisper White, 4-1/4" x 11" and scored at 5-1/2".  To this I added a piece of Basic Black, 4" x 5-1/4", but I cut out the middle so the Joy would be on top of a white background.

Then, using the edges (small, skinny pieces) of a sheet of Dimensionals, I made a frame to the Joy card stock piece would be popped up over the black layer.  Before adhering the joy layer, I dumped some of the black and Silver Glimmer Paper stars that I had punched with my Confetti Stars Punch on the card.  Then I carefully placed on my top layer, and voila!  A shaker card of stars!

I also, somehow, got a dot of orange ink (what?  Where did that come from--I was using black and white!) on the top front of the card!  Geez!  But as I always tell my class attendees--a "mistake" is not a "mistake"; it's an opportunity!  So I glued a few more of my black stars to the front...can't even see that silly dot of orange ink!

So what do you think?  An elegant Christmas Card?  Or is it just too dreary in black and white to send out this year?  Won't you leave me a comment and let me know?

All supplies can be purchased here.

And let's get creating.

Confetti Stars Punch

$21.95

Wonderful Wreath Framelits Dies

$24.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Shakin' that Birthday!

Sometimes adults need some fun for their birthdays!  (Like when you start feeling your age?  Just ask me how I know this...insert frowny face!)

Anyway, I wanted to send a little fun to my brother-in-law for his birthday, and here's what he's getting in the mail:

This shaker card should create a little laugh.

Using a clear envelope, cut to the size of the "polaroid print" in the On Film Framelits, I added some punched stars (using the star punch from the Merry Mini's set--still available!).  These were punched from Coastal Cabana, Island Indigo, Pistachio Pudding and Smoky Slate card stock--nice manly colors, yes?  The edges of my envelope were sealed with thin strips of Sticky Strip, and the envelope was adhered to the framelit.

I used some of my favorite Washi Tape (Retro Fresh This and That) to help hold the frame in place.

The card base is Smoky Slate, cut to 4-1/4" x 11" and scored at 5-1/2".  To this I added a layer of Coastal Cabana, and then a layer of the Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper. 

My sentiment, from Sweet Essentials, was stamped in Smoky Slate on Whisper White, and a little arrow was cut from the Bermuda Bay DSP (also from the Kaleidoscope collection) and popped up on Dimensionals. 

There's even a "celebration" inside:

"Celebrate" is from the Best of Birthdays collection (available until 3/31!) and the Washi Tape is from the This and That Epic Day set.

Wouldn't you like to have a little fun creating one of these shaker cards for a friend?  All supplies used can be ordered in my on-line store, here.

Let's get creating!