So Many Candles

One of my friends is a chef, so naturally I like to use cookery-type images for his birthday cards . . .

Once I got everything cut out and glued down, I thought I was done.  But then I figured out a much better layout.  After some judicious and very careful removal, the cake stand is now grounded instead of floating in the air.

Cardstock:   Folder* Navy Blue, Strathmore #100 Bristol Vellum, 

Tim Holtz Silver Sparkle

*Every year, my accountant returns my tax papers in a linen-textured navy blue folder.  The cardstock used is #80 and there’s plenty of blank space for me to cut them up into cards and card front layers!

Stamps:       Hero Large Canvas Stripe, Savvy Cherry Cake,

Impress “So many candles…”

Inks:             VersaFine Majestic Blue, Hero Soft Brown, Distress 

Carved Pumpkin, Chipped Sapphire

Emb Pwdr:   Vippies Transcendence

Dies:            TEMU Garden (Apron), Kitchen Tools, Rectangle

Candle Window, Savvy Cake Plates                  

Birthdays are the best

How I love the vibrant colors Washi tapes are famous for . . .

I decided a black background would be a great frame for those colors and little glittery interest on top would also work well.  

Hope I was right . . . what do you think?

Cardstock:   Bazzell Raven        

Dies:            Elizabeth Craft Stitched Rounded Rectangles,

 InLoveArtShop Simple Clover, Creative Expressions 

“Birthdays are the best days”    

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes,  American Crafts Jute Green,

Wink of Stella Black     

Happy Birthday

A blogger inspired me to try a novel little trick with this one . . .

I used a label die to cut a narrow horizontal window into the Washi tape panel.  Then I raised the panel with pop dots to frame the Happy Birthday sentiment.  The camera may not show this very well, but in real life, it looks great!

Cardstock:    Bazzill Raven        

Dies:             DieNamics Traditional Tags Stax, TEMU Words Set:

 “Happy Birthday”

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes, metallic dot stickers

Birthday Cheers!

Lots of text and lots of texture . . . what more can a stamper want?

I had fun embedding the Cheers text in the bottom of the frame.  The wavy cancellation image was added at the last minute to cover up a boo boo.  Lots of action going on here and I am happy with all of it!

Cardstock:    Marcos Jute, Strathmore Ivory

Stamps:        Stampers Anonymous Newspaper Scraps

Background, Impression Obsession Bark, Studio

Borders L2E, Studio Borders VI, Stampin’ Up Trefoil

Border, Ornamentum Cancellation, Hero December

Postmark

Inks:             Hero Black, Distress Brushed Corduroy

Dies:             Lawn Fawn Say Cheese, Simon Says Cheers!, 

Tattered Lace Everyday Sentiments: “Birthday”,

 Impression Obsession Flags

Doo Dads:    May Arts Jute, Distress Stickles Black Soot

Celebrate

For this one, I wanted to experiment with using an accent piece made of just one light color family atop a black and white Washi tape panel . . .

I like it, but I think a more vibrant color family on the accent piece would have been better.  That’s because the black and white background is awfully loud and likely needs a stronger color accent to balance it out.  We live and we learn!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Steel Blue, Splash, Ash   

Dies:            Memory Box Stitched Rectangle Trimmings, Tim Holtz 

Feathered Friends, TEMU Sentimental Shadow Words:

 “Celebrate”

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes      

Hello Fall

My friend Bonnie isn’t enamored of birthday acknowledgements, so I’m sending her a Happy Fall card instead . . .

I’ve covered rows of very colorful Washi tapes with an openwork leafy die cut panel.  This tones down the exuberance somewhat but still allows plenty of color to shine through.

Cardstock:   Bazzill Capri Sea, Strathmore #100 Bristol Smooth, 

Strathmore #140 Watercolor, Scraps Red, Orange      

Stamps:       Impression Obsession Bark

Inks:             VersaFine Majestic Blue

Dies:            AlteNewStriped Leaf, DieNamics Layered Leaves, 

Marianne Decorative Tags, TEMU Autumn-Themed

set: “Hello Fall”          

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes, Gelly Roll pen Silver    

Smile

Early into my current love affair with Washi tapes, it occurred to me that a picket fence would be a lot more fun if it wasn’t always white . . .

Of course, your local autocratic Home Owners Association might react with horror. But as artists, we creative types can do what we like.  YAY!

Cardstock:   Bazzill Splash, Unknown Rich Cocoa, Scraps Green,

Purple, Yellow, Orange, Pink, White         

Inks:             Distress Vintage Photo, Tea Dye, Lost Shadow

Dies:            Impression Obsession Large Fence, Sea Birds, 

TEMU Flowers, Sweet ‘n Sassy Fence, Grass, &

Border Dies, Clouds & Raindrops, Recollections 

Word Fetti: “Smile”              

Doo Dads:    Assorted Washi Tapes, Fun Flock