Only 11

My sister-in-law's 40th birthday is this weekend. I found this card on Pinterest, and thought the concept would be perfect for this occasion! I have actually been sitting (quietly) on it for months, waiting for her birthday, so I could put it to good use. :)

I didn't copy the card exactly. I looked at it before making my version, but used the card only for inspiration. I die cut the numbers using Lawn Fawn's "Quinn's 123's" from a scrap of patterned paper from Pink Paislee's "Birthday Bash" 6x6" pad. I stamped the numbers onto the die cuts with the matching stamps in Versafine Onyx Black ink. Finally, I ran them through my Xyron Sticker Maker, to apply adhesive to the back.

I stamped the Scrabble-looking letters using the "Game Tile Letters" set from Simon Says Stamp. I used Versafine ink again, since I was using real cherry wood veneer paper to stamp on. I thought this ink would bleed less than a water-based dye ink. I was right on that point, but I hadn't realized it wouldn't dry! I tried heat-setting it, but it still lifted when I (carefully) pressed my finger against it. So I finally took the paper outside and sprayed it with a matte fixative, which solved the problem. I let the paper sit for a few hours, as per the instructions on the spray, then cut the letters out with my scissors. I glued them to a piece of brown craft foam, and put them under acrylic blocks until the glue dried.

For the background, I used the largest of Lawn Fawn's "Small Stitched Rectangle" dies to cut a panel of mint cardstock. I matted that with another pattern from "Birthday Bash," that I'd cut to A2 size. I lightly adhered my "40" to the mint panel, just to judge where to stamp my first line of letters. I determined it would look best to have about 1/2" from the top of my mint panel to the tops of the numbers, and the same distance from the bottom of the panel to the bottom of my tiles. I used my MISTI to help me position & stamp the letters from Lawn Fawn's "Claire's ABC's" set in Versafine ink directly onto my panel. After the ink had dried, I permanently adhered the "40" & "11" centered side-to-side on the panel in their respective spots. Finally, I used small pieces of Scor Tape to adhere my game tile letters, and this card was done! I considered adding sequins or something, but decided in the end just to leave it as is.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

613 Avenue Create Challenge #213: "Anything Goes" (not playing the twist)
Dies R Us Challenge #105: "What's Your Number?"

Happy Halloween Hedgehog

Send a Smile 4 Kids is collecting fall & Halloween cards through the end of this month. I created this card for that organization, with the hope that it will bring a smile to the face of a hospitalized child this Halloween!

I used Sketch #SC706 from Splitcoaststampers.com as the basis for my design. I first cut a piece of Strathmore Vellum Bristol paper to size, and stamped my hedgehog, from Penny Black's "Bewitched" set (discontinued). I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink for that. I colored the image with my Prismacolor colored pencils, using Gamsol on paper blending stumps to blend the colors & add shading. After I'd finished coloring, I went over a couple of lines with my black colored pencil to reestablish them, since the colored pencils had faded those lines out too much. I also went over the eye & nose with a black glaze pen to make them pop.

I cut a piece of purple patterned paper from The Paper Studio's "Trick or Treat" letter-size pad to A2 size, and adhered it to my white card base. I also cut a piece of orange polka-dotted paper to size. After I adhered my image panel to that, I used glue dots to attach 3 buttons next to it. I pierced holes in the paper through the buttonholes, and stitched them with orange embroidery floss. Then I adhered that panel to my card.

For the greeting, I used one from My Favorite Things' "Batty About You" stamp set (discontinued) I cut a narrow strip of light purple cardstock, and stamped the greeting in Versafine Onyx Black ink. I cut the right end into a V-shape, and adhered it to my card. The longest part of this process was coloring the hedgehog & picking out the buttons. The rest of the card was pretty easy to pull together.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: "Stamp It On"
Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: "Stamp It for STAMPtember"
613 Avenue Create's Challenge #213: "Anything Goes" (not playing the twist)
Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge: "Cute Fall or Halloween Cards 4 Kids"