Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Two Birthday Cards

This week marks the 6th anniversary for Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge blog. To celebrate, they are having a "Happy Birthday"-themed challenge. I decided to make two more birthday cards for that challenge.


Operation Write Home's Sketch #248 inspired my first card:


I didn't include as many embellishments as in the sketch; nor a separate greeting strip, since my greeting was in the focal circle.

I began by printing the focal image/greeting from Bugaboo Stamps onto a piece of white cardstock. After coloring it with colored pencils, using Gamsol on a paper stump to blend the colors, I die cut it with a Spellbinders "Standard Circles SM" die. I used the same die to cut a piece of patterned paper from Recollections' "Paddywack" 6x6" pad. I cut 2 more patterns from that same pad with the next smaller die in the set. I also die cut 5 balloons, using one of the dies from Lawn Fawn's "Party Balloons" set, from a scrap of yellow patterned paper.

Once I determined my composition, I glued all the circles and balloons down onto a piece of kraft cardstock. I matted that with a light blue cardstock, and adhered it to an A2-size card base. I applied some glitter with my clear Wink of Stella brush pen to the balloons and cupcake icing. Finally, I coated the balloons and the cherry on the cupcake with Glossy Accents.


I used OWH's Sketch #239 for my second card:


I chose another image from Bugaboo Stamps for the focal panel, and used their "Happy Birthday Sign" image (apparently discontinued) for the greeting. After printing both onto pieces of white cardstock, I colored them with colored pencils, using Gamsol to blend the colors on the cupcake. The layers on the cupcake made me think of Oreo cookies, so I colored the top & bottom with cool grey pencils, and the middle with a more sandy cream color.

I chose 2 patterned papers from My Mind's Eye's "Boy Crazy" 6x6" paper pad for the background and the layer behind the double-matted focal panel. After matting the cupcake panel with yellow & red cardstocks, I adhered all my layers, popping the greeting up on foam tape. I also added Glossy Accents to the cherry on top of the cupcake. Finally, I matted the whole thing with a dark blue cardstock, and mounted that to a white A2 card base. I will be sending both of these cards to Send a Smile 4 Kids.

I'm also entering both cards in the following challenges:

Catch the Bug's "Anything Goes"
Virginia's View Challenge #14: "Layers and Dimensions"

10 comments:

  1. 2 very cute cards!! Both are wonderful designs!!

    Thank you very much for joining us this week at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

    hugs...
    Melissa

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  2. Both cards are adorable, Andrea. Thanks so much for joining the April Anything Goes Challenge at Catch the Bug!

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  3. Now that cupcake looks yummy! Thanks for joining us for the ‘Anything Goes’ Challenge at Bugaboo Stamps’ Catch the Bug blog this week. I’m holding thumbs that you are one of the lucky winners! Please join us again soon.
    Love
    Jen L
    Bugaboo Stamps DT

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  4. Two really wonderful birthday cards! I love the way you incorporated the balloons for the circles in the first sketch and the cupcake on your second card looks quite yummy. Thanks so much for joining us this past week at Catch the Bug Challenges. Please join us again this week!

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  5. Both cards are adorable. Love your take on the sketch in the first one, great idea to use the balloons for the circle elements. Thanks so much for joining us at Catch the Bug.

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