#831 – Butterflies Birthday Hugs!

Hello and welcome to another challenge at Seize the Birthday, where the latest topping, given to us by Barbara, is ‘Butterflies’! Of course, you can also choose to not go for the topping and make a fresh birthday project to join us!

And here’s the card I made –

I started by making the background using Altenew Floral Shadow. I actually made three of them – with different shades of black and grey, and ended up choosing this one for this card. The rest are saved for something in the future. 🙂

Well, I trimmed my chosen paper on the top and bottom and then foam mounted this on a black cardbase.

I then cut out several pieces of the butterflies from three dies from My Favorite Things Flutter of Butterflies, from several pattern papers. I also cut out the body of each butterfly using black cardstock. I then adhered three pieces of pattern paper together for each butterfly..

Finally, coming to the sentiment. I cut out one piece of Memory Box’s Big Hugs using white cardstock, and three more using black. I stacked the black ones and adhered them together, and adhered the white one off a bit, to get a shadow effect. I adhered this on the card, so that there was enough space to add the three butterflies too. Then I added the other part of the sentiment, which comes from Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers, using foam tape

With this card I am joining the following challenges –

Happy Little Stampers: August Anything with Dies challenge

A2Z Scrapbooking challenge: Birthday

Checkout the Seize the Birthday blog for more amazing instance of creativity by the rest of the design team! Also joining us is our Surprise Party Guest, Su Mohr!

And thank you so much for stopping by!

#829 – STB: Rainbow – 2 Ways

Hello and welcome! We have a brand new challenge at Seize the Birthday and the topping, chosen this time by Cathy, is Rainbow! If you are not a fan of rainbows, you can choose to just join us with any Birthday project of your choice!

This time I have two cards – yes two! And that too, when I totally suck at making cards with rainbow – the actual rainbow or just even the colors!

For my first card, I used stencil wreath technique, which Jennifer McGuire has taught. I used the Winnie & Walter Buffalo Check stencil and distress inks to blend in some rainbow color, on all the sides, leaving the center white. I then trimmed the piece using Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangles die. I then stamped the sentiment, from Simon Says Stamp Birthday Bits, in black ink. I foam mounted this on a white card base.

It still felt like it needed something! So I created a thin frame using Memory Box Basic Rectangles set of dies, stacked them with similarly cut pieces and adhered this on top. I also cut out a few tiny flowers and leaves from the Paper Smooches Flowers 2 dies, which I adhered on opposite corners. I used a few pearls on the flower centers, which also acted as additional embellishment.

For the next card – actually this was the first card I made – I wanted to go with the actual rainbow, not just the colors.

I first made the background – blending some distress inks in shades of blue, then a little bit of yellow in the bottom. I then added splatters of water, to create a splattered effect. I also added splatters of white distress paint, and then some blue watercolor ink. I kept it aside to dry completely.

I used We R Memory Keepers Nesting Circles to cut out seven pieces, then colored them all in rainbow colors. I adhered the pieces, not so neatly, on a corner of the card. I then added the sentiment from Winnie & Walter Wishing You stamp set and then the clouds from Paper Smooches Clouds die cut. I added some sparkle on the clouds and rainbow using Spectrum Noir clear sparkle pen.

With this card, I am joining the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: Make Your Own Background

Happy Little Stampers July Anything Goes with Dies challenge

Inkspirational Challenge #191: Photo challenge: banners, kites, balloons

So, which version of rainbows did you like the best?

Do remember to check up on the Seize the Birthday blog for more “colorful” inspiration from the rest of our design team and of course, from our talented Surprise Guest Su Mohr! And, of course, join us using your own birthday project!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

#823 – Happy Wedding Anniversary!!

Hello and welcome! Today, I am showing off a card that I made together with my sis!! Yes, its a project which we’ve created together, since it was for our dear parents’ anniversary!

My sis made that precious background … and my job started after that. How did she make that background?? You’ll have to ask her!! 😉

For my portion – I debated between metallic cardstock or die cuts which I heat embossed with metallic or pearl embossing powder. But, well, white suited the background the best, so that’s what I went with. I die cut a few pieces of white cardstock using Pink Fresh Studio Fancy Floral die, adhered them together. I then adhered the background over my white card base, and adhered the die cut on top.

The sentiment die cuts are from My Favorite Things Emmitt Alphabet and the stamped piece is from Altenew Painted Poppy, which I first heat embossed using rose gold embossing powder, then a second time using a mix of gold and rose gold embossing powders.

I adhered the die cuts over a strip of vellum, then adhered the fussy cut sentiment. I also added a few gem stones of white and orange for embellishing.

For the envelope, I used a die cut piece of Pink Fresh Studio Fancy Floral, which I used like a stencil with orange distress inks to create an ombre effect at the bottom, and stamped the sentiment (which none of the images show!!!) using Altenew Painted Poppy and Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers.

And that’s our combined project! Love how it looks so bright and happy!! 😀

With this card I am joining the following challenges –

Pink Fresh Studio Monthly challenge: May Challenge: Anything Goes

Happy Little Stampers: May Anything Goes with Dies challenge

Simon Says Stamp: Wednesday challenge: Mood Board: Bright colors

Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

#814 – Dots & Stripes

Hello and welcome to a brand new challenge at Seize the Birthday! To join the challenge all you have to do is create a fresh, new birthday project. You have an optional choice of using a ‘Topping’ in your creation, and this time, this topping is ‘Dots & Stripes’.

I chose to use the topping in my project. And here’s what I made –

I first made the backgrounds. On one piece of cardstock I used My Favorite Things Bold Diagonal Stripes stamp with Versafine Onyx black and on the card base, I used Winnie & Walter Mini Scenery: Spotty stencil using Black Soot distress ink to apply. I then trimmed a part off the diagonal stripes piece and foam mounted it on the dotty background.

For the flowers, which are die cut from Altenew Peony Dreams, I used photo paper and watercolor on top. These are cheap watercolors I used, but they worked pretty well. Since the paper is not made to absorb ink, spotty patterns formed when I watercolored on them. So pretty! I then adhered them, piece by piece.

After adhering the flower and leaves on the card, I added the sentiment – from Altenew Label Love and Paper Trey Ink Wet Paint 3, and foam mounted them on top. I added some gold sequins scattered around the card and in the flower’s center, for some embellishing.

Joining the following challenges –

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge: Feminine/Girly

The Flower Challenge #30: Anything Goes

Timeout Challenge #131: Inspired by Words: Hugs, Kisses and a lot of Birthday Wishes – where they are also celebrating their 5th Birthday!! Yay!! Congrats to Sandy and the fabulous DT!!

Happy Little Stampers March Anything Goes with Dies challenge

I hope you are inspired by my creation! Hop over to the Seize the Birthday blog for more inspiration from our amazing DT and our amazingly talented Surprise Party Guest, Tenia Nelson, and join us with your own birthday project!

Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂

#812 – Lacy Birthday Greetings

Hello and welcome! We have a new challenge on Seize the Birthday blog. The challenge is to make birthday projects, and this time, we don’t have the optional topping, which means its time for an ‘Anything Goes’ challenge!!

The card I have for today is easy to make, as long as we have a pretty die to use on top. All the card uses is die cuts and simple watercolor painting.

I used two panels of watercolor paper, colored one in a yellow+gold colors, and the other in aqua, using Gansai Tambi normal and Starry colors watercolors. Once dried, I die cut the gold one using Altenew Doodled Lace die. I used the die to cut a couple more pieces, and adhered them behind the watercolored, die cut piece. I then adhered this on the teal watercolored panel, and then added lots of black splatters. Once everything had dried, I added the sentiment, from Winnie & Walter The Big, the Bold and Happy stamp set. And that’s it!

Joining the following challenges –

Happy Little Stampers: February Watercolor Challenge: Anything Goes with Optional Metallics

Happy Little Stampers: February Anything Goes with Dies

Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday challenge: Green & Gold

I hope you are liked this card I made! Check out the Seize the Birthday blog for more inspiration from out fabulous DT and also from our talented Surprise Party Guest, Julie Beech! And don’t forget to join the party! 🙂

Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂

#795 – Floral Die Cuts

Hello and welcome! Time for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday! This time, we have a the optional Topping ‘Die Cuts or Punches’. Of course, there’s also the option of Anything Goes, as always, which means you can join us with a birthday project which uses die cuts/punches… or with a birthday project without it. Your choice!

And here’s what I created –

I was mesmerized by this background that Miriam Pratner had created on her card. I used my cheap watercolors to make my background similarly, just using different tones. Once dry, I added a few black splatters and then adhered stacked die cuts from Penny Black Playful Posies. The sentiment (both die cut and stamped) is from Paper Trey Ink Wet Paint & Wet Paint 3. Add a few little pearls for embellishing, and that finished the card!

With this card, I am joining the following challenges –

The Card Concept : Coloful Basics

The Flower Challenge #24: Anything Goes

Paru’s Card Making challenge: September challenge: Anything Goes

Happy Little Stampers: September Anything Goes with Dies challenge

Hope you liked my card! Joining us is also out Surprise Party Guest, Marianne! Check out the Seize the Birthday blog to what she created, along with the rest of our talented design team!

#788 – Distress Oxide Inks on Kraft

Hello and welcome!

I have this set of dark kraft cardstock. The quality is good, but because it is so dark, I am unsure of how to put it to good use (other than as a cardbase). I thought of using some Distress Oxide Inks on them, since, having pigment property, they would show up better than other options.

I wanted the background to be in focus, and I used one of my latest additions to my stash – Concord & 9th Retro Petals Turnabout stencil. This is so much fun! I had tried it on a couple of other colors of cardstock, which I haven’t used on any cards yet, but the Distress Oxide Inks showed up very well on the dark kraft, using this stencil. For the centers, I used clear embossing and silver pearl embossing. Just look at that shine! 🙂

Once done, I was again lost – what do I do with it?! In the end, I decided to just go with a simple card, with only the addition of a sentiment. I used Concord & 9th Cuddles & Hugs die cut, stacking the part with the kraft die cut, and adding glossy accents for the top most thinnest layer. I also added glossy accents to the hearts.

And the color palette that I used –

{source / Pinterest}

With this card, I am joining the following challenges –

Where Creativity Meets C9 challenge #24

CAS(E) This Sketch challenge #286

Happy Little Stampers August Anything Goes with Dies challenge

Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂