Seize the Birthday: Die Cuts

Welcome to another Seize the Birthday Thursday! For the next two weeks, we are challenging you to use only die cuts - with the option of a stamped sentiment, which I think is very generous of us. :D But if you're like me, and all die cuts aren't really your idea of a fun time, we love to see any newly made birthday card in our gallery!

Although stamping is my first love, I did take on the challenge of an all die cuts card, right down to the sentiment: 

The poppy is from Concord & 9th, and while I did consider adding my own shading to the petals and leaves, I decided I liked them as they were with the debossed details, deciding to just curl them a bit instead. (One advantage of late summer humidity, shaping cardstock is much easier.) To add some interest to the design, I smooshed a watercolour cover panel die cut with green ink. And even though that base layer is called "cream", to me it's pale yellow and I liked the touch of brightness. The sentiment is the same colour as the flower centre. 

Then I realized that while trying a new-to-me die for the first time is fun, I have a die set that I've been meaning to use for ages, and I really shouldn't skip this perfect opportunity! 

This cute little Papertrey Ink kitty is a hand-me-down from Ardyth - she had never cut the dies apart, and until this card, neither had I! Of course my first use had to be a grey card in homage to Duncan the cat. The balloons and embossed panel are both from my stash. This time I went for a stamped and embossed sentiment, underlining it and the kitty with some washi tape. 

So many beautiful die cut creations on the Seize the Birthday blog from my teammates as well as our new surprise party guest, Angie! Why not make a birthday card and join us? 

Supplies: (happy birthday) Stampin' Up ruby red & garden green, Papertrey ink smoky shadow & Fabriano cream cardstock, Canson watercolour paper, Stampin' Up garden green ink, Concord & 9th Pretty Poppy, Paper Smooches happy birthday & (?) horizontal striped cover plate dies; (happy purr-thday) Neenah white, Stampin' Up smoky slate, basic black & pink pirouette & (?) aqua cardstock, Sunny Studio Stamps subtle grey tones patterned paper, MFT Cool Cat stamp, Versamark, Wow white embossing powder, Papertrey Ink Kay's Critters Cuddly Cat, Lil Inkers stitched rectangle, MFT Blueprints 29 sentiment banner & (?) balloon dies, WRMK dotted embossing folder, black Sharpie pen, Twinery Caribbean twine, Queen & Co washi tape, foam tape