#1134 – Rainbow of Colors

Hello and welcome! Time for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday and this time, our leading lady Cathy has chosen the topping as ‘Rainbow of Colors‘ for us. However, if you are not a toppings kind of crafter, just make sure that your entry is a Birthday theme.

And here’s what I made –

I was inpired by Laura Bassen‘s card making style – who makes rainbow colored cards better than her?!

I started with the background. After brushing in a soft layer of rainbow colors using distress inks, I laid out the Neat & Tangled Geometric Blooms stencil on top and used the same set of inks to deepen the colors. I then splattered some water on top and picked up the ink using a clean cloth for additional texture and set it aside to dry.

For the sentiment, I used CraftAdda Large Happy Birthday die. I used it on white cardstock scraps and matte gold foild cardstock and adhered the pieces with the gold matte on top. I then adhered this piece over a sheet of vellum and then fussy cut the piece.

Before assembling the card, I rounded the opposite corners of the white card base and the rainbow stencilled panel and adhered them together. I then adhered the sentiment and then added some sequins for adding to the fetive feel. I also added a small ‘cheers!’ from Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words: Birthday, stamped in black over white cardstock, trimmed to size.

And that’s my card! And I’m joining these challenges as well –

Just us Girls challenge #807: Anything Goes Stencil

Neglected Stuff January challenge (I’ve used the Neat & Tangled Geometric Blooms stencil, which I had not used for more than a year now)

Stencil Fun January challenge: Anything Goes

Stop over the Seize the Birthday blog to checkout more colorful inspiration from the DT and our surprise party guests!

Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂

#1120 – Find the Mail!

PE: Shout out at Just us Girls challenge!

Honorable Mention at Addicted to Stamps and More!

Hello and welcome! We have a new challenge up at Seize the Birthday and this time, out leading lady Jules, has asked us to use ‘No Flowers‘. Of course, there’s always the option of ‘Anything Goes‘ which means that if you are a flower person, you can always make a birthday project of theme you choose and join the party!

And here’s what I created –

No flowers under the sea! Bright corals are a good substitution for flowers though, and I managed to add one. 🙂 The images are from a few ocean themed stamps that I own – Waffle Flower Mermaid Mail, Paper Trey Ink Salt Air Flora and Trinity Stamps Sea Life Silhouettes. The paper is Canson Montval, which I watercolored using Daniel Smith watercolors.

Once dry, I trimmed the piece into a little lesser than 6″x 3 3/4″. I then wrapped a piece of acetate around it and taped it in the back, leaving the top open, dropped a few different sequins into it and sealed it in the back as well. I then taped this onto a white cardbase measuring 6″x4″.

For the sentiment, I first die cut a panel from the same white cardstock using My Favorite Things Stitched Jumbo Fishtail Banner, stamped the sentiments from Simon Says Stamp Seas and Greetings + Tiny Words: Birthday stamp sets. I also stamped the shell and a few tiny fish. I then scored and folded the piece to wrap around the front flap of the cardbase and stapled it. Of course, I had also added some tape behind it to make sure it stayed in place.

And that’s my no-flower card! Did you spot the lost mail yet? Not so difficult to spot, is it? The mermaid’s fish friend seems to have spotted it as well! 🙂

I’m joining the following challenges with my card –

Just us Girls challenge #788: Word Week: Birthday

Addicted to Stamps and More challenge #499: Any Occasion

Neglected Stuff challenge #825 (I had never used the Trinity Stamps Sea Life Silhouettes since i bought it a couple of years ago!)

Checkout the Seize the Birthday challenge blog to see what other ideas you can use to make cards without flowers, showcased by our talented DT and guests.

Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂

#1101 – Sky-High Wishes

PE: Winner at AAA Birthday card challenge!

Hello and welcome! There is just a month and a half left in this year!! Wow!! That went by really quickly! But it’s time again for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday and this time, I am your hostess. I’ve chosen for you the Topping ‘Focal One‘. All this means is that for the focal image, use only one stamp and stamp it only once. You are free to color the image or do anything else, but no other images are to be used for the focal. You are free to do anything with the rest of the card as well.

And this is what I created –

I did have a different idea of using a clustered flower stamp, but I thought of doing something else with that idea, so decided to change it at the last moment. And came up with this card instead.

I used the image My Favorite Things Sky-High Friends and the sentiment from The Stamp Market Scripty Sentiments, and stamped both on white cardstock with light grey ink and then colored them using Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. I then used paper stubs to spread the colors using baby oil. I then cut out a mask for the image, put it on the image and then brushed shades of distress inks to create the sky. I then stamped the last part of the sentiment from Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words Birthday using Versafine Onyx black pigment ink.

I trimmed the sides and partially fussy cut the left edge around the sentiment. For the clouds, I used Picket Fence distress paint. I had forgotten I even had this paint!! But it worked surprisingly well, giving a good opacity when concentrated and translucency when diluted with water. It even sat well on the wax of the pencils and baby oil.

For the background, I chose a light blue cardstock and used My Favorite Things City Block background stamp, stamping it in shades of blue to match the sky in the foreground. After adhering the focal panel on this, I felt that the background was lacking a bit. So I used Zig brush marker pens to color the roofs of the buildings in shades of blues. That looked better! 🙂 And that also finished my card.

Joining the following challenges with my card –

Inkspirational challenge #328 – Designer’s Choice – Layer It

Addicted to Stamps and More challenge #481 – Make Your Mark

AAA Birthday Card challenge #67 – Favorite Image Lately I’ve been into coloring critter images. And this big stamp with lots of details is one of my favorites!

Step over to the Seize the Birthday blog to checkout how our party guests and our talented DT has put this Topping to use. And don’t forget to join the fun!

Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂

#1089 – Sunny Stenciling

Hello and welcome! Time for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday and this time, our hostess Barbarais asking us to use ‘Double Stenciling‘. Of course, as always, you’re also free to ignore this topping and go with ‘Anything Goes‘ birthday project.

And here’s what I made –

I made use of two stencils – Prima Daisies stencil and Altenew Sketched Lines stencil. I started with a white card base and the Prima Daisies stencil and first added color using a makeup brush and distress inks. After that I laid the Altenew Sketched Lines stencil on top and added the green color on top.

Finally, I retained the Prima Daisies stencil alone, dabbed some light blue distress inks on the stencil, misted it with a bit of water, and ran the whole piece, along with the paper, through my Big Shot with an embossing pad underneath to get some dimension. Of course, running two stencils together was a bad idea, since it left impressions on the sandwiched stencil – it’s still usable though, so my guilt is reduced just a bit!. However, I will remember to emboss them separately next time!

Setting aside letting everything dry, I worked on the sentiment. I used Matte Gold paper and Simon Says Stamp Sending Hugs die, die cut a couple of scrap papers with the sentiment die and vellum with the shadow die and then adhered them together.

Finally I die cut the stenciled panel using Winnie & Walter Essentials: Lana Cutaways and then adhered the panel over white cardbase. I added the die cut sentiment on top, and finally also decided on adding a stamped piece from Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words: Birthday, adding a couple of scrap paper strips below it before adhering it on the card.

And that’s my card! I’m also joining the following challenges –

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: Bright & Cheerful

Timeout challenge #265: Inspired by Words

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge #470: Die cuts & Stencils

Do hop over to the Seize the Birthday blog to see more inspiration from our design team and our party guest Julia Aston!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

#1082 – STB: Spring Flowers

Hello and welcome! It’s time for another Seize the Birthday challenge! Our leading lady Linda and she has chosen the topping of ‘Spring Floral‘. Of course, the topping is optional, and you can just make any birthday themed project and join us.

And here’s what I made –

I used the floral die from Pink Fresh Studio called Floral Squares, then used distress inks to watercolor them. This is cardstock with a smooth surface, so naturally some texture was created while watercoloring. I also added some shimmer using clear Wink of Stella. I also added a couple of extra layers of die cuts behind the top layer for some stability.

For the sentiment, I used Neat & Tangled Celebrate die. For cardstock, I used photo paper, which I colored using black marker. I also adhered a couple of extra layers behind for dimension. The stamped part is from Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words Birthday, which I stamped on scrap cardstock and trimmed and foam mounted. I added a few clear sequins for some embellishment.

And that’s my card! I’m also joining the following challenges –

AAA Birthday card challenge #59: Geometric

Addicted to Stamps and More challenge #464: Any Occasion

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: Anything Goes

Hop over to the Seize the Birthday challenge blog to checkout more inspiration from the rest of the design team and also our guest designers.

Thank you so much for stopping by!