Juggling Crocodile Birthday Card

     Entry number three using the orange circles paper from K and Company's Life's Little Occasions paper pack.

     The cheery crocodile is from the Crocs Rule cartridge. I cut it at 3", using white and pink for the under layers. Wiggle eyes, some black inking, and an Action Wobble brought this guy to life. The balls he's juggling are punched from the orange and a dark green (also from this paper pack) and are on some foam tape.
     The orange mat is 3 1/4" x 4 1/2". The smaller white is 3 3/8 x 4 5/8. The card base is green, The white mat is 4 1/8 x 5 3/8. The green print mat is 4 x 5 1/4.
     "Happy Birthday" is from the Hapyy Days set from CardzTV stamps. The inside sentiment says: "Hope it's more fun than a juggling crocodile."
     Have a day that's just as fun. Thanks for stopping by.

Owl Happy Birthday

I made this birthday card for someone who likes both owls and the retro orange, brown and green colors of the '70s.

 

The owl is from Create a Critter. I used the branch that was an accessory for it. Dark brown is the base for the owl. I added a subtle orange-on-orange print for the next layer and a bright orange with circles for the top. The bright orange is a favorite from a K and Company stack called Life's Little Occasions. I've used that orange several times. In fact, in the next two posts I'll be showing others cards I've made with it. It's bright, cheery, and very versatile. 

 

Gloosy accents help the beak and the feet pop off the page a bit. A sideways sentiment added some balance without looking crowded.

 

"Whooo's" someone you could make this for? Thanks for stopping by.

Fan"tache"tic Birthday card

I can't honestly say that I understand the popularity of the mustache in crafting these days. But I do recognize it. So, when I found a stamp for fabric paint the other day at Big Lots, and it had three mustaches on it, I had to bring it home and try it out with chalk ink. It worked fine.

I stamped these with black ink, trimmed around them, and then attached them to the tan mat. After I had completed the card, I decided to go back and jazz it up a bit with some Martha Stewart glitter. The finished product is simple and easy--but masculine and trendy.

The card is cut from Kraft cardstock. I used black to mat the design papers which are from Recollections.
Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by.

Lighthouse Masculine Birthday Card, Part 11 of Recent Cards

This may be one of my all-time favorite cards--and it's for a guy. Amazing! I usually struggle so hard to create something that looks masculine.

After getting my white 5 1'2" by 4 1/4" card base, I added a brick red mat (5 3/8" x 4 1/8") and a black one that is 5 3/16" x 3 15/16". Then I went to the Elegant Edges Cricut cartridge and and started with the E. E. equivalent of the Top Note which I cut at 4 3/4" in a brick red cardstock. I also cut the shadow in white. The lighthouse stamp is from Studio 112. I stamped it with black and also inked the edges and rounded the corners. Looking for something masculine and somewhat nautical, I took three strands of thin jute and braided them, placing the cord below the lighthouse. After stamping the sentiment, I curved the ends using a circle punch. Before placing the frame onto the card, I put it on foam tape and also added two small black brads. As I said earlier, I really this card. I hope you do, too.

Rounded Petals Flowers Birthday Card, Part 10 of Recent Cards

I like the rounded petals card ideas so well that I created a card with two flowers.

I turned the 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" card sideways so that the flowers would fit and I'd have an easier time with the sentiment. The stripes (all from the same Recollections paper) are 1 1/8" squares with two corners rounded. The shadows are 1 1/4". I let some of the petals go off the edge and then went back and trimmed them. The sentiment, two 5/8" buttons with green floss, and three small purple brads complete this cheery birthday card. I hope you like it.

As Special As You Are Birthday Card, Part 9 in Recent Cards

In browsing Pinterest I located a sweet card that I just loved.  I took the idea, went to the Doodlecharms cartridge and located my favorite heart, and I was off. The hearts and mats are cut at 1 1/4".  For the hearts used two different red prints and a small piece of the background paper. The tan-ish green-ish mat is a piece of self adhesive cardstock from DCWV. I cut two "buttons" from the same paper, added a piece of white floss, and adhered them. The stamped sentiment reads: "Hope this day is as special as you are."

Many thanks to splitcoaststampers.com for the lovely card which gave me the idea.



Corner-rounded Flower Happy Birthday, Part 8 of Recent Cards

Hi, everyone. Several of the cards I've seen on Pinterest have included a flower with petals made from squares that have two corners (diagonals) rounded with a large corner rounder. After trying one with one layer and liking it a great deal, I decided to add my own twist.

I started with four sets of four squares. The solid red ones (used as shadows) are 1 1/2" and 1 1/4". The print squares are 1 3/8" and a 1/8".  After cutting the squares, I rounded the corners, then layered the prints on top of the solids. I embossed the card background, then placed the larger petals on the card. I glued well, but not near the petal edges so that I could slide some leaves (Spellbinders) under the flower when I was finished. I layered the smaller petals on top of the larger ones (using foam tape for dimension), added a 1/2" circle for the center, and slipped the leaves in under the petals. A piece of ric rac and a stamped sentiment, and I was finished.

Pull out your corner rounder and give this a try, then let me know what you think.

Envelope Birthday Card, Part 7 of Recent Cards

In the vein of using a Cricut image to replace a Stampin' Up product I don't have, I created this very different but nice masculine birthday card.

I started with an image from (you guessed it) Pinterest. Thanks to splitcoaststampers for the inspiration.

 

My card is an gray A2 card. I added two sets of mats, using a gray/black polka dot and white. The larger white mat is 4 1/16 x 5 5/16". The larger dotted mat is 3 7/8 x 5 3/8" . The smaller white mat is 4 1/2" x 3 1/4", the smaller dotted mat is 4 5/16" by 3 1/16".  I cut the 2" envelope with the Walk in My Garden cartridge and used a Paper Studio cupcake embossing folder. To help the embossed cupcakes pop from the page a bit, I once again used some ink (silver) on a foam spouncer brush. A Studio 112 stamp added just the right sentiment to this birthday card.

 

Have a Cricut? Use it to improvise for the things you don't have.

Triple Birthday Wishes, Part 5 of Recent Cards

Once again, it's Pinterest to the rescue. This time my inspiration came from takingtimetocreate.blogspot.com.  Here is the inspiration card.

 

My take on this idea turned out like this.  I used a 1" circle punch, three different purple prints from various DCWV packs, a solid purple for the sentiment shadow, some silver ricrac and the Spts and Dots embossing folder. A cardztv.blogspot.com Happy Birthday stamp and some black ink formed the sentiment. Hope you find some inspiration.

 

 

It's Time for Another Birthday, Card 4 in Recent cards.

One more in the recent card collection--this time a masculine birthday card.

 



This A2 card is made from Tim Holtz Kraft Core paper pack, a really great stack. I used a Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby) embossing folder that has a collection of clocks. I discovered that if I inked the bottom of a craft paint foam spouncer--the kind that has a wooden handle and a very flat edge on the sponge, I could rub the ink across the surface of the card and apply it to only the raised portions.
I embossed the light tan marbled paper then inked the clocks with a brick red ink. To complete the front, I added two strips, one in the mat paper and one out of Kraft paper. Then I added to metal brads and the sentiment, "It's time . . ." The inside reads "for another birthday. Hope it's the best ever.

Wish Big birthday card, Part 3 of recent cards.

One of the card ideas that I saw on Pinterest came from bronheslop.wordpress.com. Here is her card.

 

 



I don't have the Stampin' Up stamp she used, but I have one that says the same thing. I switched up the color scheme, used Plantin Schoolbook to cut the circles, and embossed with a herringbone embossing folder. My card looks like this.

 

 

I put a navy shadow behind each circle. The teal and green papers are from a Tim Holtz Kraft stack. I placed two small ribbon loops on the right rather than the left. The inside sentiment reads, "Hoping those wishes come true today and in the future."

 

Thanks to Bron for the idea.

 

Cowboy Hat Birthday Card

Finally, I'm back with another video. I can't believe I've been away so long. I hope you enjoy this card especially for guys--of all ages. I used the Paper Doll Dress Up cartidge and printed papers from the DCWV Stack 8 Pack. Have a great day.

Fall Tree Birthday Card

This seasonal birthday card features a tree with multi-colored leaves for autumn. Once again, Country Life, is the cartridge of choice. Hope you enjoy it.

3 1/2" x 5" Pop-Up Gift Card Holder

Here's another idea for a pop-up gift card holder, this time using a greeting card as the base. This size is large enough to send through the mail, and it still has the clever idea of the pop-up. These are fast, easy, and very versatile. Thanks for stopping by. Let me know what you think.

"A Lamp to My Feet" Card

For number 20 in my challenge, I'm indebted to a friend who let me borrow her Country Life cartridge, to Mary at cardztv.blogspot.com, and to Dee at www.deesbbboutique.blogspot.com. Dee's scripture art is really lovely. This verse is special to many people. I used the card for a birthday, adding the inside sentiment, "May God's word guide you and God's blessing surround you in this next year. Happy Birthday." This card is a new favorite. Thanks for watching. Leave a comment, please.

Award Birthday Card Especially for a Man

I wanted an easy card for a man. Thanks to some inspiration from Mary at Cardztv, I came up with this one. The award "ribbon" is on Plantin Schoolbook. What do you think of #19?

Jack in the Box Birthday Card

At last, number 16 of my challenge. I couldn't resisit going back to Nate's ABC's for this cute boyish cut. Hope you enjoy it as much  as I do.

The video--Turquoise, Navy, and Lime Birthday Card

Here's the how-to for the "Turquoise ..." card. Part 10 of my challenge features Elegant Edges (I couldn't skip it), and uses the layout from Freshly Made Sketches." Try your hand at this method of using chalks. I think you'll like it. Thanks for your views and comments.

Happy Birthday in Navy, Turquoise, and Lime

This is my entry for the Casual Fridays challenge.  The flowers are stamped in white, then chalked over the white to help them stand out from the navy. Elegant Edges cut the frame and shadow. I also stamped the border print. Cuttlebug Swiss dots give texture to the mat and border. The sentiment is computer generated, cut with a window punch and place on ribbon and a mat. I really like this color combination, although I have to admit, I was skeptical.

"Soccer, Basketball, and Football" Birthday Card, the Video

It's part 9 of the challenge. This time I've used Sports Mania which has some really clever cuts on it. I choose to use soccer, basketball, and football, but there are many to choose from. Pull out your cartridge and see what you can create for the sports enthusiast in your life.