Happy Birthday Shaker

I've been on a bit of a "birthday card" kick lately. I created this one in response to 2 challenges: a2z Scrapbooking's "Take Shape" & A Blog Named Hero's "Interactive."

I decided to create a shaker card, with a stamped image in the window. I began by die cutting a piece of butterfly patterned paper from Pebbles' "Garden Party" 6x6" paper pad with a Spellbinders "Labels Eight" die. I also cut 2 pieces of 110 lb. white cardstock for my card base with the same die. I scored one of those about 1/2" below the top edge, applied Scor Tape above that line, and adhered the other piece. Then I set that aside while I worked on the card front.

I stamped the butterfly from Hero Arts' "Butterfly & Flower" set (apparently discontinued) on my patterned paper panel with black ink. If there are coordinating dies for this set, I don't have them, so I used a craft knife to cut (oh-so-carefully!) around the outside of the butterfly to create my shaker window. I stamped the butterfly again on acetate with Staz On Jet Black ink, using my MISTI to make sure I got a good impression & didn't smear it. I had to trim the window in the patterned paper a bit larger to get the image on the acetate to line up. When it showed through the window just right, I adhered the acetate to the back of the patterned paper with Scor Tape.

After applying a double layer of foam tape to the back of my card front to create the shaker well, I sprinkled in some sequins and seed beads that coordinated with the colors in the patterned paper. I backed the well with another piece of patterned paper from "Garden Party." For once, I'm happy with the amount of sequins & beads in my shaker--not too full, but not too skimpy, either! :) Then I adhered my card front to my card base.

For the greeting, I chose one from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' "Happy Birthdays" stamp set. I die cut & embossed a banner with a Spellbinders "Ribbon Banners" die, and with the white cardstock still in the die, I inked through the openings in the die with Spun Sugar Distress ink. I used repositionable adhesive on the back side to keep it in place in my MISTI, and curved my stamp on the door of that to fit the curve of the banner. When it was positioned correctly, I stamped it onto the banner with Versafine Onyx Black ink. Finally, I adhered the banner to the card front.

To add a little extra something, I used small dots of Glossy Accents to glue down some "enamel dots" I'd made previously with Nuvo Honey Gold Glitter Drops. I added them in a visual triangle around the greeting, which finished off this card!