AAA Birthday Cards Game #28 - Photo Inspiration, and The Flower Challenge #59 Use a Die (Option of Slimline card)

I loved the PHOTO inspiration this week over at AAA Birthday Cards.  I focused in on the subtle, blue, undulating frosting, and the beautiful pink flowers with bits of yellow mixed in.  I am combining this card with The Flower Challenge where we are using dies and slimline cards this month. For my card, the background was die cut from Papertrey Ink's banner coverplate twice in order to cover the slimline card base; the blue banners feel like the frosting.  The flowers are from My Favorite Things Floral Focus; Copic-colored,  die cut, and adhered to the card base.  The white embossed sentiment is from Mama Elephant's Birthday Messages.  The final touch was translucent sequins.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards Birthday Challenge - Game #27 - Use An Embossing Folder

This week at AAA Birthday, we are being challenged to use an EMBOSSING FOLDER on our birthday cards.  There is a story behind this embossed cupcake panel.  A close cardmaking friend made this panel for me more than 10 years ago.  Over the years, she has been instrumental in pushing me to try new techniques and tools in cardmaking.  I remember her bringing the panel with her to a cardmaking session at my house.  She may have been pushing me to try embossing folders or maybe even the Cuddle-bug.  I loved the embossed cupcake panel.  Do you ever receive something that you hoard thinking you will never have the perfect project for it?  That is what happened with my cupcake panel... but here it is on the perfect card. 

Atop the embossed panel is a die cut Paper Smooches cupcake.  The cupcake holder is die cut from kraft and topped with a trimmed crisscross piece (Paper Smooches also) for dimension.  The cupcake top was die cut from scrap cardstock that had been distressed in Worn Lipstick and Candied Applies with a heart background overlay stamped in Picked Raspberry.  The white embossed sentiment is also Paper Smooches, Birthday Messages. A die cut cherry from the set is foam-mounted to the cupcake and covered in crystal Stickles. A white My Favorite Things rectangular frame was added to finish the card.

I am also submitting this card to Seize the Birthday #218 - Framed.  This is my second entry for Framed. Quite by accident, I included a frame on my submission to AAA Birthday.

Enjoy.

AAA Birthday Game #26 - Flowers

The keyword for this week at AAA Birthday is FLOWERS.  Fabulous word for birthday inspiration.  I tried, today, with the cards I made to stretch myself and use medium other than copic markers (my favorite).  For this card, I used Prisma pencils on kraft cardstock.  The image, from Paper Smooches Best Buds, is clear embossed over Versafine Onyx.  I channeled my inner Dave Brethauer, Memory Box.  I took a lot of classes from Dave early in my cardmaking career and he loved color pencils.  I went slow, in circles, adding at least three layers of color. After posting this card, I decided to go back and add a couple of white opaque highlights.  Not sure which card I like better.

Enjoy.