Birthday Card (cards scare me)

Well it is always a challenge for me to design a card, I am not sure why but it's true. I wanted to make a beautiful card for a dear lady that is an amazing person. She is known for her unique style and wonderful details so I knew I had to pull out everything I had to get this design. I know she'll love it even if it is kinda sloppy because she is just a good person like that. Hehe!

I don't like to measure so I just eyeballed everything and used three layers of heavy white cardstockto make my card. 

The bottom layered is sprayed with Lindys Stamp Gang sprays. The edges were distressed and then it was glued to the card base. The second layer is made using ColourArte and Primary Elements powders. The top layer with the die cut out is crackle paste then LSG sprays, then watered down turquoise DecoArt paint and finally some DecoArt titanium white antiquing paint. 

All the layers were popped up on foam dots for dimension. The real magic started with chipboard feathers that were painted white. The flowers are goodies I won from Creative Artiste and the bows were made with strings from my stash. The blue ribbon and white pearl things are from my stash as well. The white branch looking things are the MS branch punch. Everything was given a flick and spritz of white paint and a flick of white alcohol ink. The little horseshoe is from a friend Sara of Saras Closet. 

Hugz and Carpe Diem! ~Niki

I would like to share this card with these challenges: 

Frilly and Funkie-Winter Hues

Mixed Media Place January Challenge

I was inspired by the blues and the feathers 

Southern Ridge Trading Co-Winter

I chose to use winter colors

Happy Birthday Card!

Oh wow! Today has been an experience in the flower garden and I have decided I have a black thumb. Maybe next year I will not kill any plants. That is the goal at least. Hehe!

I wanted to try my hand at making a layered, die cut Birthday card and here is what I did: 

I just (like 2 days ago) added to my die cut collection and have been trying out different substrates and "sandwiches". There is a lot to learn about that. I only have a Cuttlebug. This is my first try at using only die cuts and paper. I had to add some stamping though. :) 

The base is cardstock, the heavy stuff. Then I added another layer of printed cardstock and distressed the edges. The slipped a diecut (Sizzix-Label & Edge, Scrollwork) under the first layer after applying some Emperors gold Silks to it. 

I added some cracks with my stamp and Archival ink in coffee. 

I then used a Cuttlebug die (Flourish Emblem) and made my focal die cut, sprayed it with LSG sprays and added the same cracks stamp. 

I popped it up with small foam dots to give the card some dimension. 

I used a third and fourth die (Spellbinders-Fancy Framed Tags Three) for the part under the sentiment and dry brushed it with the gold Silks as well. There are so many dies out there in the world! Who knew?!? Everyone but me, apparently! Lol. I don't have any stamps or dies that have Happy Birthday so I used an alphabet stamp set I have and stamped each letter individually. It isn't perfectly straight but that was my seventh attempt so I went with it. :) 

The flower is from Reneaboquets store. The lace is from my stash and I thought it added some nice texture to this card. 

Hopefully I keep trying my hand at this die cut and layer stuff. It is a fun process. Thanks for stopping by and Carpe Diem! ~Niki

I plan on sharing this card with these amazeballs challenges: 

Frilly and Funkie-A Touch of Gold

Cuttlebug Mania-Anything Goes using a manual die cut/embossing machine

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge-Stamp and Punch/Die Cut

Craft Your Passion #278-Always Anything Goes

Crafty Calendar Challenge-Anything Goes

Rhedd's Creative Spirit-Guest Designer-Altered Box

Why hello y'all!

I am super duper excited to be a guest designer for August for Rhedd's Creative Spirit! This is a mixed media/altered art challenge blog and the challenges are always anything goes. Hope to see your creations! 

I decided to Upcycle a box ribbon dispenser into a cell phone charger storage station. This is a gift for a 13 year old and her Birthday is today! 

I started with a box that had holes in the front. I had to ask an employee at the craft store what the holes were for. Lol! Ribbon dispenser is what she told me. I took out the metal rivets so I could add my paint with no worries. 

The birthday girl is a girlie girl so I went with purples and whites (mostly). The modeling paste was applied through a damask stencil and left to dry. I totally forgot to take pictures of the process. Oops! 

The same modeling paste was used on the lid and applied through the CWS stencil Art Is. I then painted some DecoArt metallic paint over the entire bottom piece just to give it a shimmer. 

For the front of the box I used the mixed media die from Tim Holtz and added a large rose and the stamped sentiment from SU. 

The lid was decorated with cheesecloth and flowers that I sprayed with ColorBloom. The roses on the lid were hand made and edged with Stickles glitter. I used the black roses to add some grunge to this piece just because that is me. 

The plaque was made out of polymer clay and stamped with a script stamp, then it was sprayed with the ColorBloom and LSG sprays. The frame was painted with a dry brush of the DecoArt metallic paint. I added the alpha A to personalize the box for the Birthday girl since her name starts with an A. I attached the plaque with some thick cardboard folded in half behind the plaque. 

I do hope she enjoys this hidden phone charger! Her mother says the Birthday girl loves handmade items. Fingers crossed! 

Here is a picture of the box in action! Looks like a decoration and not a phone charging station when the lid is on! Isn't my girl Raj adorable? I wish she was here with me again. 

Thanks so very much for stopping by and having a gander! Hugz and Carpe Diem! ~Niki

I am going to share this make with the following amazing challenges: 

Mixed Media World-Stencils

Anything But a Card #49-Anything Goes

Stamps & Stencils-Happy Holidays/Summer Time-this holiday (Birthday) is always in the Summer time!

The Artistic Stamper-Anything Goes