Clear Shaker Birthday Card

I created this card to join in this month's Neat ant Tangled Little Tangles Challenge on Birthday which coincides with Neat and Tangles 5th birthday. Happy Birthday!

I cut a birthday cake on a Strathmore Bristol paper using the Cricut Design Space. The image is from Cricut Wrap It Up. This is a folded card cut. I removed the score line. I cut the image on the middle to layer the die cut. I blended Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick and Spiced Marmalade on both cake die cuts. I spritz this with water, heat set it, spritz it some more and heat set it again until I got the look I wanted. I ran the dust buddy to this cake die cut for heat embossing. I am using the Neat and Tangled You Are My Most Favorite stamp. I am using the Misti Stamping Tool to stamp this bold sentiment onto the cake die cut. Since I am using Wow! Ultra High Metallic Gold embossing powder for the sentiment, I decided to use Tsukineko Essential Glue pad instead of Versamark. I colored the candles using Copic markers, adding details with Sakura Souffle, Ranger Glossy Accents and clear Spectrum Noir glitter brush pen.

Working on the top window panel, I die cut a patterned paper from the Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid 6x6 Petite paper pack using Pretty Pink Posh Scallop rectangle frame. Using a thin double sided tape, I adhered an acetate to the back of the patterned paper. I am using the Hero Arts Acetate card since this is thicker than the usual acetate.

It would have been easier if I have a rectangle die that is the right size as the scallop die. Since I don't, I traced the edges of the die onto a Papelmerotti kraft cardstock and cut this out using a craft knife. I adhered another acetate on top of the base card. I applied Darice Double-Sided Foam Sticky Strips around the window to form a valley for the sequins. I ran the powder tool to the sides of the foam adhesive. I poured a mix of sequins to the valley then adhered the other acetate to it to close the shaker card. Somehow, despite treating the foam with the anti-static tool, some of the sequins still got stuck to the foam. How I wish I added more sequins.

I adhered the cake to the front panel. Since the back side of the cake is showing on the inner side of the card without plans of covering it, I strategically applied a strong adhesive to areas that does not show through the back window. The nice thing about this is you can see the shaker more from the inner side of the card.

For the sentiment area, I adhered the negative cut of the scalloped plaid paper to the inside of the card, showing through the clear acetate window. I die cut another scalloped rectangle using kraft cardstock. I paper piece this to the the scalloped plaid paper. I stamped the sentiment using the Misti. I strategically placed the sentiment so it is still hidden behind the cake. The stamps I used are My Favorite Things Beary Special Birthday  and Technique Tuesday Say It Happy stamp sets. I stamped the sentiment using a black Hero Arts dye ink. I stamped a heart from the MFT Cheeful Blessing stamp set to fill in the area above the word happy. I used Avery Elle Raspberry pigment ink to stamp the heart.

Again, birthday wishes to Neat and Tangled. Wishing you more creative years to come.

And, Ryan, my youngest, 5 year old, loves to show off not only the card but also his first missing tooth.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blesesd & brilliant day!

Maria Giselle B. 

I am sharing this creation at

Challenge #83~Birthday

Scrapbook.com~August Cricut Challenge

Monochromatic Father's Day Card

Simon Says Stamps Monday Challenge is Monochrome and their Wednesday Challenge which will be ending in a few hours is Anything Goes featuring Technique Tuesday. When Archiver's was still open, I bought stamps by TT because of Ali Edwards. I rarely use their stamps nowadays with all the stamp companies coming out with their releases. So with both challenges in mind, I challenged myself to create one card. I didn't have a special occasion in mind when I was creating this card but it eventually turn out to become a Father's Day card which is very timely.

I am using the TT Ali Edwards All My Heart stamp set. At first, I was planning to stamp all the squared sentiments to create the background but it didn't have the same sizes. The clear stamps kept sticking together making it hard to lay out the stamps. I just picked one stamp and repeatedly stamp this on Strathmore Bristol paper using the Misti tool. The paper is cut at 4 1/4 x 5 1/2. I prepared the surface with an anti-static tool before I stamped the sentiment. I used Versafine Onyx Black for ink and embossed this using clear powder.

After the panel is filled, I blended various shades of grey inside the squares. I used a sponge dauber to do the job. I am not really being careful blending it. I would rather achieve different shades and am not particular if I go out of the lines. I used 5 shades of gray from 3 different companies (Close To My Heart, Hero Arts and Memento.) I applied white Wink of Stella to the spaces in between the squares. I don't think it is noticeable but I am having a hard time appreciating the effect of this particular Wink of Stella anyway.

I die cut a window on this panel using SSS This Is The Life Frames Cut die. I positioned the window slightly to the lower left of the panel. I also cut a black cardstock using this die. This metal die cuts 2 pieces, an outline piece and a solid piece. I used the black outline as an accent to the window.

For the sentiment, I die cut a dark gray and a white cardstock using the TT Say It Happy DIY Steel die. I stamped the rest of the sentiment from the TT Say It Happy stamp set on a black cardstock strip using Versamark ink. I embossed this using WOW! Silver Pearl Embossing powder.

I adhered a light gray cardstock to the back of the window panel. I adhered the black outline to the window. I adhered the gray happy sentiment on top of the white sentiment slightly off setting this to create a shadow effect. I adhered this to the window area and adhered the sentiment strip on the bottom. I ended with an empty space on the right upper corner of the window. To fill this, I adhered some sequences. For the final touch, I applied clear Wink of Stella to the die cut sentiment. I adhered this panel to a top folding A2 card.

Thanks for viewing my blog. Have a brilliant day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am submitting this creation to:

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-27/

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=4800

Christmas Tree Petal Die Cut Card

I have two motivations in creating this card. One of which is to join the Avery Elle's challenge. The other motivation is to use Doodlebug Frosty Friends 6x6 paper pad for this card. I am so excited to mash up these two brand of products into creating this card. The focal point of the card will be the tree. I used the petal cut from Avery Elle Custom Panels Elle-ments. I cut this three times. The only way to make it look like a tree, as suggested by my eldest son Rudy is to stagger the size of the die cut, with the top being smaller then gradually getting bigger. So I trimmed the sides of the two pieces. I am enjoying using my decorative edge scissors ever since I used it on a previous project. I trimmed the curve edge of the petal making sure that I follow the curve of the petal while I am cutting. I added some details to the dot randomly using Uniball Signo White Broad and Sakura Gelly Roll Stardust Clear pens. I inked the edges. I scored the die cuts. I staggered these die cuts and adhered it using a dimensional tape. Now, the tree is done and it is time to create the background.

After choosing the pattern papers that I will be using for the card, I cut the gray patterned paper using SSS Stitched Rectangles die. I used this to cut a light blue patterned paper but I only cut it at 3" long so I can save on paper. This will serve as the ground for the tree and the area where I will be stamping the sentiment. I use the curve die from the Custom Panels.

To create the sentiment, I masked the word birthday from the Avery Elle Brushed Stamps to stamp the word happy using Versamark ink. I applied Ranger Liquid Platinum to this and heat embossed it. To complete the sentiment, I used Technique Tuesday Say It-Happy stamp set. This was also stamped using Versamark and embossed with the same powder.

For the trunk of the tree, I use Art Alternatives Barc Wood tape. I die cut using the stitched edge of the SSS Stitched Rectangle die just to trim the width down and also to get the stitched impression.

Before adhering the patterned papers, I spritz the gray patterned paper with pearlized water. I zapped this with a heat gun to dry it. I tried to captured the glimmer in camera but I couldn't. I adhered the slope patterned paper to this using foam adhesive. I adhered the barc tape next and applied some foam tape to the back of the overhang tape to make it even with the slope. I adhered the tree next using double foam adhesive. I then applied the hexagon die cut to the top of the tree. This was cut from gold glitter tape and using the middle sized hexagon from the Custom Panels. I also punched a star using a silver glitter tape which I adhered with a doubled foam tape at the back.

I cut a 4 1/2 x 5 1/4 blue paper from the same Doodlebug line. I adhered this to a white notecard. I then adhered the patterned paper panel to this.

Thanks for viewing my blog.

Maria Giselle B.

Stamp: Avery Elle Brushed, Technique Tuesday Say It-Happy
Die: Avery Elle Custom Panels Elle-ments
Paper: Doodlebug Frosty Friends

I submitted this creation to:

Interactive Puzzle Birthday Card

My third son celebrated his 9th birthday 3 days ago. I created a birthday card for him. I had to think what will be most appropriate for him. He loves puzzles. This inspired me to create this interactive puzzle card for him.

I cut the puzzle pieces using Cricut Close To My Heart Artiste cartridge. I cut this at 4". Luckily, the puzzle pieces did not break apart when I removed the die cut from the mat. I applied a sticky Post-it note to the back of the die cut to keep it together since I am going to stamp on this.

I stamped his name and the sentiment to the puzzle pieces. For his name, I used Studio Calico Mia Alpha stamp set. I like the brush stroke image of the fonts. I stamped the letters using Simon Says Stamp Blue Violet dye ink. I used a stamp positioner because I re-stamped the letter using a white pigment ink to create an ombre look. I only inked the bottom half of the letter to create this look. I allowed this to dry.

For the sentiment, this is a 2-lined greeting stamp from Avery Elle Brushed Clear stamps. I used masking to create a 1-lined greeting. I prepared the area for embossing using my powder tool. I stamped the sentiment using blue pigment ink, poured clear embossing powder, then heat embossed it. 

I stamped party hats randomly using Memento Desert Sand ink. The stamp is from Technique Tuesday Say It-Happy clear stamp set. I colored the hats with Copics. I accentuated the trims using a glittered pen. I embellished the hats using a white gel pen. 

I kept the negative cut of the puzzle and used it as a guide to create a note card. I ran the front panel of the note card to emboss dots to it since the front panel will be plain without the puzzle piece. I adhered the negative die to the embossed part of the note card. 

Now, it's time to create a pocket to put the puzzle pieces in, and to attach a message so my son would know that this is a puzzle to be pieced together. 

I placed the puzzle pieces in a left-over clear packaging. I cut a 3x3 paper, sized enough to fit it in the clear packaging. I stamped the instructions using Lawn Fawn Milo's ABC, and placed this inside the clear packaging together with the puzzle pieces. I sealed this using the We R Memory Keepers Photo Sleeve Fuse tool.  Just make sure to allow the fuse tool to heat up before using it to seal. I ran this twice, about 1/4" apart before I trimmed the excess off. I adhered this package to the front of the card using wash tape.

This is how the card looks like with the puzzle pieced together.

My son likes the card. Thanks for viewing my blog.

Maria Giselle B.

I am submitting this creation to the following blog:

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/