Seize the Birthday: Framed

It's time again for a Seize the Birthday Thursday! Our new optional topping, chosen by my teammate TaeEun, is FRAMED. I had in my stash what I thought would be a perfect birthday card frame, but if you aren't so lucky, we always love to see any birthday card added to our gallery.

Here's my card: 

In the before times, I die cut this happy frame at my friend Emily's. I only had the one, so it was a little scary to do the heat embossing on it, but I wanted the balloon strings to carry onto the frame, and I also wanted the "happy" to match - it's double heat-embossed to really shine. For the balloons themselves, I coloured them then added a good coating of sparkle marker. For the birthday sentiment strip and the teal shadow panel, I just coloured with the same Copics so they would match. If you've been tuning in regularly this week ;) you may notice that little strip of patterned paper comes from one of the cards I posted yesterday - there it was on my table, saying, look at me, I match! I tried a few different card bases, but liked the frame popped up on this textured white one the best. 

Beautifully framed cards by my StB teammates and our current surprise party guest, Melanie! Why not add a birthday card to your stash and join us? 

Supplies: Neenah white & textured white American Crafts cardstock, Doodlebug Frosty & Friends patterned paper, MFT Balloon Bundle & Simon Says Stamp Happy stamps, Versamark ink, Ranger fine silver & Wow fine white opaque embossing powder, Copic markers, Catherine Pooler Instant Happy die, Spectrum Noir clear sparkle pen, fun foam

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ABC Christmas: N & O

Are you ready for more Christmas cards in July? The first Wednesday of the month brings with it the letters N and O for ABC Christmas Challenge! N is for North Pole: 

I have a few stamp sets that include the words North Pole, and decided to choose this one with its cute bear images so I could make a little polar scene. How to confirm you have Copic markers that need refilling? Attempt to colour a fairly large area like my bear's sweater. :D I was able to smooth out the colour a bit with blue Prismacolor pencils. The smaller areas were much easier to colour. Then I masked off the signpost, bear and bottom of the panel so I could add the sky. Of course some Stickles were needed - and I emptied my bottle of icicle Stickles! I wasn't sure they ever actually ran out. ;) Luckily I was prepared with another bottle in reserve. I reach for it a lot for winter cards.

Our second prompt for July is O for Off to One Side: 

I used a beautiful large die from Uniko to cut both a silver and blue snowflake. Taking a cue from the current Jingle Belles challenge, stars and/or stripes, I decided to back it with striped paper. I added a simple sentiment on another scrap of the blue cardstock. I guess I'm not just off to one side, but also off the edge! 

Shopping Our Stash is holding a Christmas in July challenge, so I will link both cards there as well. 

It's fun to see the different ways my ABC teammates interpreted these two great themes! I hope you will make your own Christmas in July cards and join us! 

Supplies: (chill wishes) Neenah white cardstock, MFT Cool Day & Chill Wishes stamps, Versafine onyx black & red satin & tumbled glass distress ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Copic markers, Prismacolor pencils, MFT cloud stencil, Winnie & Walter Katharine cutaway die, icicle & frosted lace Stickles, white Gelly Roll pen; (season's greetings) Neenah white & (?) silver glitter cardstock, Doodlebug Frosty & Friends patterned paper, Clearly Besotted Message Me stamps, Versamark ink, Wow fine opaque white embossing powder, Uniko sparkling snowflake & MFT blueprints 29 dies 

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Addicted to Stamps and More: Any Occasion

Addicted to Stamps and More is back with its Any Occasion challenge! I needed an anniversary card, so chose that for my occasion:

I'm using my Concord & 9th hearts turnabout again, but this time I used the die, too! After stamping and embossing the hearts once in red, I die cut a second round of hearts so I could have silver glitter paper peek through them. In the middle of the panel, I second-generation stamped a larger heart, then stamped and embossed my champagne glasses over top. I added lots of sparkle to the champagne with some liquid stardust. (So shimmery!) I also added a few xoxo sentiments in the spaces between the hearts. 

Be sure to visit the ATSM blog to see the many occasions my teammates have created cards for! I hope you will join us. 

Supplies: Neenah white & (?) silver glitter cardstock, Echo Park Head Over Heels patterned paper, Concord & 9th Hugs & Kisses stamps & die, PSA Essentials Love Birds stamp, Versamark onyx black & red satin ink, Wow clear sparkle glitter embossing powder, Lawn Fawn liquid stardust

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Happy Little Stampers: Stencils

Are you ready for the July Happy Little Stampers Stencil Challenge? As always, it's Anything Goes as long as a stencil is used. I have a new stamp and stencil combo that I wanted to try, so here it is! 

The stencil makes it easy to add colour to these flowers and leaves. I stamped and embossed two flowers and the leaves, then used the stencil to blend colour out from the centre of the flowers and from the bottom of the leaves. I used the same colours to add polka dots to the card base with a different stencil. I added an embossed sentiment before arranging my flowers and leaves and adhering them. 

Show us your stencil cards! And be sure to visit the Happy Little Stampers blog for lots of inspiration. 

Supplies: Neenah white cardstock, Concord & 9th In Bloom stamps & stencils & Painted Rose stamp, Versafine onyx black & speckled egg & rustic wilderness distress inks, Heidi Swapp polka dot stencil, Wow clear gloss embossing powder

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Christmas in July Blog Hop!

The first Friday in the month means it's time for a new Scrap 'n Stamp blog hop! Our theme is CHRISTMAS in JULY. Always a popular one for cardmakers, it seems! It is definitely worthwhile getting a start on holiday cardmaking before the busy festive season actually arrives. So I was more than happy to break out some Concord and 9th goodies and make this card: 

I am using an older Concord & 9th turnabout stamp set for my background, but the store carries a newer one that I have to admit, I think I like even more! This was the first time I had tried stamping a turnabout right onto the base of my card, and I'm liking it! Since I also love to make Christmas tags, I decided to use one for my focal point - it leaves lots of the background visible, too. ;) Grabbing a tag from my bin-of-many, I stamped the Merry & Bright sentiment, then added the holly and berries die cuts. Some scrap ribbon and twine finished off the tag. I added a piece of fun foam to the back of the tag before adhering it to give a little extra dimension. 

The Scrap 'n Stamp design team have made all kinds of beautiful Christmas cards - hop and comment for your chance to win a $50 gift card to the store! Here's the hop order: 

Tara

Kia

Nancy

Deborah

Susan

Lindsey --- > me! :)

Chala

Jessica

If these cards have inspired you, you might want to check out the Christmas in July sale at Scrap 'n Stamp, too! Have a great weekend. 

Supplies: Neenah white, Gina K. kraft & scrap red & green cardstock, Concord & 9th Deck the Halls Turnabout stamp, Merry & Bright stamps & dies & Little Love Tags die, MFT biscotti & Catherine Pooler stone blue, melon ice & rockin' red ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, scrap ribbon & twine, fun foam

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Happy Little Stampers: CAS

Welcome to the July edition of the Happy Little Stampers CAS challenge! Our theme for the month is Citrus and Zing. Perfect for summer! Here's my card:

This citrus stamp set, designed by my Seize the Birthday teammate Shirley, was an easy choice for the card. I stamped the citrus outline in a medium green, and then used a lighter green for the segments. There's another stamp for the rind, but a) I like the lighter look, and b) I don't like to push my luck with layering stamps. :D To keep the background from being too plain, I used a shiplap stamp with a third green to add a little extra interest. The sentiment is embossed in sparkly embossing powder. After adhering everything to a light green card base, I added a trio of green sequins to finish the card. I'm adding this to the STAMPlorations never-ending anything goes challenge. 

Lots of zingy inspiration from my HLS teammates, so be sure to head over to the blog to see some beautiful cards! 

Supplies: Neenah white & Hero Arts green layering cardstock, STAMPlorations Layered Citrus & Concord & 9th Shiplap Sentiments stamps, Versafine onyx black, Catherine Pooler new sprout & melon ice & Simon Says Stamp new leaf ink, Wow clear glitter embossing powder, Winnie & Walter Katharine cutaway rectangle die, Neat & Tangled lime satin sequins

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