Nephew-in-Law #2 End-of-October Birthday!

Now it's time to post my last October birthday card, which is for nephew-in-law #2.  I had this lovely fall card partially finished that I started at a Liz Thwyer event for Fall and Thanksgiving cards last year.  It was meant to be for Thanksgiving, but I converted the peek-a-boo sentiment "Give Thanks" to "Happy Birthday" by adding a half-circle of the front pattern paper and a new birthday sentiment overlay.  I also added hemp twine in my button for a more finished look.  Somehow, it just seems to me that buttons always need to have some thread in them as they generally have when sewn on.  Otherwise, my card is true to Liz's original card design.

My finally steps are to design an interior that compliments the outside, and finally, to added a verse appropriate for the occasion.  (You can see my added patterned paper half-circle and birthday sentiment overlay that I mentioned above.)  Now that I'm all done, off into the mail it goes for Jared's birthday.  I'm thinking he will really enjoy his card.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Early Espresso.  Gold Glimmer paper.  Patterned--Farmer's Market; Color Collection-Early Espresso.  Stamps--Lovely As A Tree; Sweet Cupcake  Punch--2" Circle.  Gold Basic Buttons. 1" Burlap Ribbon.  Maya Arts: Hemp Twine.  Copic Markers. 

End of October Birthday for a Niece!

One of my nieces on my husband's side of the family has a birthday at the end of October, and I wanted to send her a little birthday wish.  I chose this card that I made at a Darla Watson card stamping event while visiting in California this past spring.  I did add another cardbase layer to compliment the greens in the card.  In addition, I finished the inside with a little stamped verse from Papertrey Ink, some photo corner embellishments, and sequins.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products: Cardstocks--Wild Wasabi, Pool Party, Whisper White.  Inks--Early Espresso, Wild Washabi, Pool Party, Soft Suede.  Stamps--Perpetual Calendar (backgrounds), Happy Home (2016 Occasions); Party Pants (inside HB).  Markers--Daffodil Yellow, Real Red. Crumb Cake.  Sequins.  Papertrey verse stamp: Tucked In: Birthday.  EK Punch:  Victorian Corners.  

Birthday For A Lovely Lady and Friend!

I am down in Seaside, Oregon with my older daughter, Michele, working on some updating decore for her beach house.  We have stripped some 1980's country wallpaper from the dining room walls...really ugly, and definitely not beachy!  Underneath we found old 1970 manufactured wood paneling, which we have found before in other rooms we have re-done.  We used a soft light blue on the end wall with the slider to the back yard and a buttery cream on the side walls with white wood base boards and trim.  It looks so clean and refreshing.

While we are in Seaside, Michele's mother-in-law is celebrating her birthday, so we thought we would take her out for a very special gourmet dinner to a small little restaurant on the Promenade.  I brought my "To Do" card box full of unfinished cards and kits.  I went through my box and found a card that I started over a year ago, which was almost finished, and thought it would be perfect for Dina with it soft colors and touch of lace.

This card was started at a technique-learning class hosted by my Stampin'  Up upline and friend, Liz Thayer.  The technique presented was making our own embossing impression plate using dies and lightweight cardboard.  We chose the patterned dies we wanted...my choice was leaves.  I die-cut the leaves from the cardboard three times and glued like patterns together in a stack to make them thicker.  Then, we glued the stacks onto a 6-inch square of cardboard in an arrangement that we liked.  We then placed a piece of cardstock, which was pre-cut to the size we desired our front caed panel to be, onto the cardboard embossing plate and made a Big Shot "sandwich" with its plates and base and ran it through the Big Shot to "emboss" our Plate pattern onto the cardstock.  The last step to finishing my embossed cardstock layer was to lightly sponge its surface with ink shades of your choice, giving the leaf edges definition with these ink colors.

To finish my card, I decided on a few modifications to my card's layout.  I made each of my card front layer about 3/16" smaller  so they would frame my top layer with a bit more color.  Then, I centered the sentiment on its band rather than  offsetting it to the right.  I added more So Saffron yellow to my flower color and used the vintage brad as the flower center.  With this done, I placed my flower on the left bottom of my band instead of at the top.  I think Dina will be very pleased with her vintagey birthday card.

Ingredients:  Stampin'Up products:  Cardstock--Always Artichoke, So Saffron, Marine Mist.  Stamps: Because You Care (2015 Occasions hostess).  Ink & Stamp Write markers--Always Artichoke, Marine Mist.  Dies--Autumn Leaves.  Lightweight Cardboard--Designer Paper Cardboard backing.  Vintage Brads.  7/8" Sahara Sand Lace Trim.  Technique: Create an Embossing Plate with Dies.  (Thank you Liz Thayer for Original card design and technique class.)

October Birthday for Nephew-in-Law #1

I have two nephew-in-laws with birthdays in October....soooooooooooo many birthdays in October, AND many of them are masculine birthdays as well!  Why is it that it seems so much more difficult to create cards for men?  Since I generally create cards according to the interests and hobbies of the recipient, this makes it doubly difficult when the relative lives in another state, and I do not really know what their day-to-day interests are.

With this dilemma in mind, I chose a card that I purchased as a kit from a cardmaking event I was unable to attend, which was hosted by the dynamic duo, Dara Peterson and Luci Kirschbaum.  I believe this particular card's original designer was Luci.  Because my card was to be for a man, I re-modeled the card a bit while making it.  

The pre-dominate color in the original card was hot pink or Melon Mambo, which was very nice if for a woman, but as my finished card was to be for a man, I decided to pick up on other balloon colors in the designer patterned paper with a more masculine tone.  I added a black cardbase, and then a layer of Crushed Curry.  I switched out the Melon Mambo for Lost Lagoon, a greenish blue, to use as the circle mat under the sentiment and on the star embellishment.  I also added a piece of this color in a bordered pattern under the light tan, or Crumb Cake, patterned panel.  I am very pleased with the little bordered edge, as well as the color change and added color layers, as they bring out all the masculine shades in the balloon patterned paper, which was exactly my goal.

My final step was to complete the inside of my card with a verse and design created to compliment the card front.  As I didn't have a printer available to me in my travels, I had to hand-print my birthday verse.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Basic Black, Crushed Curry, Whisper White, Lost Lagoon.  Pattern--It's My Party dsp (2016 Occasions).  Stamps--Sky Is The Limit (2016 SAB).  Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black.  Basic Gray Edge-distressing.  Punches--Circles-2" and 1-3/4".  Dies--Star Framelit.  Enamel Dots--It's My Party (2016 Occasions).  (Thank you Luci Kirshbaum for original design).

A Nephew Celebrates His October Birthday!

I've just finished my last October birthday card that I am able to complete before my trip to Las Vegas.  I will have four more October birthday cards to complete upon my return. . .two of the feminine variety and two more of the masculine variety.  When I'm all done, I will have completed thirteen cards in all for this month, with seven of them being for men!  Now, that's a record for male cards in one month. . .and I have already finished five of those seven.  Surprisingly, my creative juices were flowing at full speed for these masculine cards, because normally, I find myself struggling to come up with designs without struggling a bit, especially when I'm under pressure.  I am pre-posting all these cards I have just completed so they will appear while I am away.  This way my blog does not look like I am neglecting it, when in truth I am until I return from my trip.

This final card that I created and am ready to post is for one of my nephew from my sister's side of the family.  I know Davis likes to hunt, but I am not sure that it is for pheasant, though he does do wild turkeys for sure.  But, I so wanted to use a Stampin' Up stamp set that I bought several years ago but have never used.  I think it is great for masculine cards, and it is named Walk in the Wild.  

In making this card, I decided to use a technique that I've always like, but not used for quite awhile---a form of edge distressing by fraying the edge of the paper with an open pair of scissors.  (There is also a fraying tool that can be purchased, but I find the scissors work just as well if not better.)  I followed this distressing with ink distressing on the frayed edges.  These two distressing techniques give cards that worn and vintage look that I think lends itself well to men's cards.

My next step was to decide on papers.  Since I decided this card would have a vintage feel to it, and because it was for a man, I decided browns and dark blues would be good.  At this point, the rest of the card design fell together quite rapidly, and I finished it in record time.  My final step, as is traditional in all my cards, was to create the inside to coordinate with my outside design and choose or make up a verse that befits the occasion.  Take a peak below at my finished card, inside and out.  I think Davis will enjoy his specially design card, just for him!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Early Espresso, Midnight Muse (retired), Soft Suede, Natural Ivory (inside/ retired).  Pattern:  Natural Composition Specialty dsp (retired).  Stamps: Walk in the Wild.  Ink: Burnt Brown Sugar (distressing).  Ribbon: 7/8" Cotton (retired).  Spellbinders dies:  Ovals SM; Big Scallop Ovals LG (modified).  Impression Obsession dies: Instant Photo Frames Corners (inside).  Computer sentiment/ verse.  Size:  4-1/2" x 5-3/4".

Birthday Balloons for a Sister-in-Law Birthday!

Now for my last female family birthday card for early days in October.  This next card is for my husband's sister who lives in Utah.  I chose a card that I made at a girls' get-together given by my Stampin' Up upline, Liz Thayer, for a few of us back in March of this year.  I know I say this a lot, but it's true every time. . .I absolutely loved this card. . .everything about it.  These Stampin' Up shades of aqua blues are my very favorite:  Pool Party and Bermuda Bay.  If Liz had thrown in Coastal Cabana, then I would have been over the moon!  LOL

I finished every part of this card's assembly at our fun little get-together with Liz.  I was thrilled she used the Irresistibly Yours dsp, which is a white pre-embossed paper to be sponge colored whatever shade you wish.  We, of course, sponged ours with Pool Party ink.  The only thing left to finish my card completely was to create a suitable inside design and birthday verse, and these I was able to do in May while in Mt. Shasta, California.  It is ready to be sent off to Judy for her birthday, and I think she will be delighted with her card.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Pool Party, Bermuda Bay.  Pattern--Irresistibly Yours dsp.  Stamps--Kinda Eclectic (sun), Balloon Celebration.  Ink--Pool Party (balloons/ sun/ distressing), Bermuda Bay (birthday/ balloon sprinkles/ verse).  Punch:  Balloon Bouquet, Curvy Corners (inside/ retired).  Dazzling Diamonds Glitter adhesive.  Metallic Silver cord (2015 Holiday).  Sequins--2013-2015 In-Color Asst. (2014-15 Annual).  Papertrey Ink stamps:  Tuck In Birthday (verse).  Size:  4-1/4" x 5-1/2".

New Son-in-Law Has An October Birthday!

I jokingly told my youngest daughter when she became engaged that one of the criteria I should have demanded in her choosing a husband be that his birthday did NOT fall in October. . .but, wouldn't you know. . .another October birthday!!  Now, I needed to figure out what kind of a card would be best for my new son-in-law.  He has a number of activities and hobbies that he enjoys, which include car racing, riding ATV quads in the sand and dirt, dirt bike riding, hiking, and planning vacations.  These two just returned from a belated two-week honeymoon to Florida, where I am positive they went to every amusement park and tourist attraction in that State!

After giving it some thought, I decided I would do a racing car card, because Josh has a 1979 baby blue Chevy Camaro race car.  He and his father have been involved in short-course racing since Josh was a young boy.  Though he has not raced his baby blue Camaro for a few years now, I am sure that at some time in the future, he will pick up this life-long hobby again.  Since I could not find a 1979 Chevy Camaro image to color, I decided on a 1969 RGX Camaro, which according to what I read is a much desired car.  Personally, I did not see a lot of difference between the two cars when I looked a photographs of actual cards, especially with the digital image that I found online of the 1969.  Take a look at Josh's finished card inside and out. . .I think he will be very pleased with one of his mother-in-law's homemade birthday cards made with only him in mind.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up cardstock: Night of Navy, Old Olive, Vintage Natural.  Darice Core-dinations Glitter Paper: Ball Gown. My Mind's Eye pattern: Lost & Found Two/ Breeze Boyish Plaid.   Graphic 45: Happy Haunting (black/cream check).  Spellbinders: Deckled Ovals LG, Nested Ovals SM.  Sizzix BigDie: Weathered Clock.  EK Punch: Scalloped Corners-LG.  WRMK Punch: Deco Corner.  Heidi Swapp Metallic Accents.  Stampin' Up Glitter Brad.  Google Online: 1969 Chevy Camaro digital image.  Copic Markers.  Computer-made sentiment/ verse.  Size:  5-3/8" x 6".  

Have an Epic Birthday!

Happy Days...this card has been chose as a
SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS FAVORITE OF THE WEEK
ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2016

My nephew, Landon, is having a birthday on October 8th.  Hmm. . .where have you heard that date before???  This is card number fourth and final card to make for my October 8th birthdays!  Since Landon is now a teen-ager, I have to change my mojo from boyhood-type cards to teens.  He is the first of my side of the family to have a teen-ager.

Since I know from my two boys, who are now men in the 30s and 40s, video games are still the thing; therefore, I thought I would try out my newly purchased My Favorite Things Game Controller dies and coordinating stamps.  Funny that I just purchased them a few months ago, and then they put them into a retiring sale. . .of course, after I purchased them.

I have some video game, techie-type paper that I thought I'd use for Landon's card.  Though it seems some of this paper is a bit dated (there's even some Space Invaders style), I was able to find a few pieces that are more generic and not specific to a particular game,  This was especially important as he lives so far away, thus I have no idea what games he's interested in or what he actually plays.  My card is bright and cheerful and I'm pretty happy with the outcome.  Take a look below and the finished card inside and out.  I think Landon will be pleased with his one-of-a-kind card made by his Auntie!

Ingredients:  Darice Core'dinations cardstock: Timeless pack.  DCWV Generation Tech Stack.  SU-cardstocks: Basic Blake, Whisper White, Real Red.  My Favorite Things:  Dies--Game Controller, Chevron Stripes; Stamps--Level Up, Chalkboard Greetings.  Impression Obsession dies: Instant Phot Frame corners.  Memento Ink: Tuxedo Black.  SU-Clear Embossing Powder.  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".
Favorite info:  10/16/16...Thread #62).

Birthday Greetings to a Mariner's Fan!

My October is FULL of birthdays as you may have already notice from previous blog posts.  The next card needed is for my youngest son, Mark, whose birthday is also October 8th.  I have made many birthday cards for Mark over the past eight years of cardmaking, depicting his many talents and interests. . .vehicles, dirt bikes, tools, a bear beerfest, and Seahawks football are some ideas already used.  I find as I work on other cards, my mind will subconsciously be thinking about designs that I might be able to use on upcoming cards needed.  I pondered, "What shall I do for Mark this year?  One interest that I have not yet covered is Mariners baseball.  I wonder if I could make that work?" 

When the time came to get started, the Mariner idea was right there with some half-formed ideas, knowing that I needed to keep it fairly simple as my time was limited due to an upcoming trip.  For another birthday, I had been thinking of doing a simple cupcake card, but so far had not gone there.  I began to do a little online surfing and "googled" baseball cupcakes, and out popped this picture...I was stoked...what a great idea. 

My creative juice really began to move and jell.  I had seen a punch art cupcake card using circle patterns to make the cupcake icing...see the link here, and thought baseball circles would work perfectly.  Then my brain took another leap and thought. . .Mariner logo baseballs would be even cuter!  From there, I was really on a roll and went looking for bats online as an embellishment addition. . . they leaped right into vertical layers for my cupcake liner.  In addition, I did use them on the inside for an embellishment as well.  Take a look below at the inside and outside of the card created when my juices finally simmered enough to finish my card for Mark.  I think he will really like this new addition to his stash of Mom-made cards!

Ingredients:  Cardstocks: Stampin' Up--Basic Gray, Very Vanilla, Naturals Ivory (retired).  Bazill--Navy, Huner Green.  Stampin' Up stamp: Big Day (verse).  Cuttlebug EF: Happy Birthday.  Cottage Cutz die: Birthday Candle Border (modified).  Online images: Mariners baseball (colored/ resized), wooden bats (black & white/ resized).  Copic Markers.  EK Punch: Bubbles Corner (modified).  Size:  5" x 6".  

A 12th Year AA Birthday

My oldest son celebrates his 12th year of sobriety, and he credits his recovery for all the help he has received through attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and events.  He values the message in the Serenity Prayer and incorporates its words into his life on a daily basis.  I always like to honor his hard work and mark this special milestone in his life by making him one of my handmade cards.

I had just finished a birthday card for his younger brother, in which I chose to use the Mariners baseball team as the theme of his card design.  I made him a birthday cupcake of Mariners baseballs (which will be posted on October 6th), and thought it would be clever to use a cupcake on David's card as well.  I would use the birthday coins received each year to mark how many years of sobriety the person as achieved.  

I went online to search for images of 12-year coins and found a gold and red one that would go nicely with the color scheme of black, red, and gold foil, on which I had already decided.  I would use the back of the coin with the Serenity Prayer as the cupcake's frosting and the front of the red coin to represent the cherry on top.  Take a look below at my finished card inside and out.  I think David will be very pleased with his 12-Year AA birthday card.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up cardstock: Basic Black, Gold Foil.  Pattern: Graphic 45 Renaissance Faire/ Enlightened.  Google online images:  Red AA birthday coin-front and back, cupcake liner.  Cottage Cutz Expressions die: Birthday; Sugar & Cream Alphabet/ Numbers.  Stampin' Up punch: Curvy Corners (retired).  Cuttlebug EF: Happy Birthday.  Wink of Stella-Clear.  Computer-made verse.  Size: 5" x 6".

Fall Flowers for June's Birthday!

Onto my first sister-in-law birthday card. . .her special day is also on October 8th!   She will get a card from my stash that I started at a cardmaking event this past May while visiting my mother in Redding, CA.  This event was hosted by Darla Watson, a Stampin' Up demonstrator who comes to my Mom's area once a month to host card classes and events.  If you get a chance, take a look at Darla's blog, Scrap Happens Here, by clicking here. . .it is an enjoyable site to visit.

Darla's card design features fall colors and a big flower, which put me in mind of a sunflower with its center made from a patterned dsp and its petals from Stampin' Up's Floral Frames framelits.  For my card, I finished it up on my Mt. Shasta Girls' Getaway with my Mom and sister.  I changed up the sentiment message on the front fishtail flag, and added an Early Espresso card base that made four color mat layers.  With this many layers, I decided to adhere my top two layers and pop them up off the bottom two layers.  I think the dark brown cardbase really enhances the big flower's patterned center, and I like that with just a quick glance, the flower pops, and it really catches your eye.  

I really loved the look of this card.  I think the big patterned flower really did it for me, and with my few changes, it still retains its original lovely design.  I think my sister-in-law will really enjoy her fall flower card. . .take a look below at the finished card inside and out.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla (inside), Delightful Dijon, Mint Macaron, So Saffron, Old Olive.  Patterned: Botanical Gardens dsp (Occasions 2016).  Stamps: Sunburst Sayings (sentiment).  Dies: Floral Frames (retired), Botanical Builder, Punch: Curvy Corners (retired).  Large Polka Dot Embossing Folder.  Candy Dots, Pearls.  Fishtail Flag (handmade).  Verse sentiment: unknown (borrowed).  Size: 4-1/2" x 5-3/4".

Birthday Shaker for My Niece

My recent posts all seems to have the same theme...so little time and no time to do it!  I have a niece and two sister-in-laws whose birthdays are on October 8 and October 9!  With "no time to do it" in mind, I went to my card stash to see what I might use.  

I love to go to cardmaking events sponsored by other card-makers and just make cards from the designs they present; meanwhile, I can socialize with other cardmaking friends who also attend!  There are many times that I learn new techniques or get to use a technique that I know about, but am not all that familiar with, either because I have not used it at all or not enough to feel really comfortable with it.  Many times, I may find myself starting the card but bringing parts home to finish, because some creative idea popped in my head that I MUST incorporate into finish the card.  Sometimes, it is just a matter of adding more color layers to bring out the features of the card and making the card bigger in the process.  BUT, sometimes, I just love the design exactly the way it is, and then I just created it as is.  On all of these cards, I always finish the inside later with my own design and verse to compliment the card front.  These are the cards that reside in my stash waiting to be used when I need a card in a quick pinch.

With all that said, my first card is for my niece Shauna whose special day is another October 8th birthday, and for her, I chose a card that I started at an event hosted by the dynamic stamping duo: Dara Peterson and Luci Kirschbaum.  I believe this design was originated by Dara.  I love, love this birthday shaker card, and I completed it according to Dara's original design without modifications, except I added another color layer in the form of a new black cardbase.  The colors are all so rich and the little punched balloon, cupcake, and candle shakers are such a clever idea.  Thanks Dara for such a cute card design. . .it is perfect for my niece.  Take a look below at the finished card inside and out. . .I'm pretty sure Shauna will be delighted. 

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Basic Black, Mint Macaron, Melon Mambo.  Pattern--It's My Party dsp Stack (2016 Occasions).  Stamps--Party Wishes (2016 Occ.).  Ink: Archival Basic Black.  Window Sheets (clear acrylic).  Rhinestones.  Baker's Twine/ Pool Party (retired).  Papertrey Ink stamps: Big Birthday Wishes (verse inside).  EK punch: Scalloped Corners-Medium.  Size:  4-1/2" x 5-5/8".  (Note:  On front-patterned panel popped up),