Birthday Shaker

We have a friend who is significantly visually impaired. Her birthday is this week, and I wanted to make a card for her. It took a bit of brain-wracking, because I wanted it to be something she could enjoy, despite her poor eyesight. Finally, I found this card on Pinterest, and it hit me--a shaker card!

I stamped the cupcake from this set by Tim Holtz on a scrap of Strathmore Mixed Media paper, using Ranger Archival Jet Black ink. I watercolored that with Distress inks in Worn Lipstick, Gathered Twigs, and Twisted Citron & Mowed Lawn for the candle. I also stamped the candle flame on some gold paper, and the cupcake wrapper on some striped patterned paper from my scrap stash. Then I die cut the whole cupcake, the wrapper, and the flame with the coordinating dies.

I die cut a piece of what a painting workshop instructor I met would have called "screaming green" cardstock, with the two largest of Simon Says Stamp's "Stitched Rectangles" dies to create a frame for my shaker. I also cut a piece of acetate and a piece of polka dot patterned paper with the largest of those dies. I adhered the acetate to the back of the frame, and applied 2 layers of foam tape to the back. I used a mix of sequins from Doodlebug Design & Pretty Pink Posh, along with some seed beads, for my shaker material. (As I tend to do, I think I went a bit overboard, but I didn't realize it until my shaker was together.) I glued my cupcake pieces to my polka dot paper, gluing the cupcake wrapper & flame on top of my "base" cupcake. I also glued a few sequins around the candle, so some would be visible, without absolutely everything falling to the bottom of my shaker. Finally, I removed the liner papers from my foam adhesive, and applied my patterned paper back to it.

I created my card base from 110 lb. white cardstock. For the inside sentiment, I typed it in Photoshop, on a portrait-oriented, A2-size "canvas." I made the font larger than I normally would, so our friend could read it (with the help of her magnifying lens). I then printed it out directly on my cardstock, then cut & folded that piece to form my card base. Finally, I matted the shaker portion with some pink polka dot paper (also from my scrap stash), and mounted the finished card front to my card base.

I'm entering this card in Through the Craft Room Door's challenge: "Anything Goes."