Birthday Card For Photography Buff

My brother's birthday was March 14. He is a photography and videography buff so I decided to make him a camera-themed birthday card.

Of course, the first place I looked for ideas was Pinterest. I knew I wanted to make use of the Snapshot stamp as well as the Peachy Keen stamp set. I also thought I could work in the use of the On Film Framelits. These are all retired products from Stampin Up but I love them!

The beautiful card by Michele Reynolds was the one I chose to CASE .

I started by cutting a standard card base from Thick Whisper White card stock. From Real Red, I cut a matte and embossed it using a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder called Spots & Dots because I thought it was reminiscent of camera lenses.

Black Soot Distress Ink was used to rub across the raised portions of the embossing as well as to ink the edges of the matte. I used Dimensionals to adhere it to the card front.

Using the polaroid die from the On Film Framelits, I die cut a frame from the Thick Whisper White as well as one from self adhesive Fun Foam. I also cut pieces of Basic Black and Window Sheet to fit under the frame.

I used White Stazon ink and my MISTI to stamp the sentiment from the Perfect Pennants stamp set on the piece of Window Sheet. The MISTI is especially good for stamping on acetate because inked stamps have the tendency to slip on the acetate causing smeared prints but the MISTI keeps the stamp and the acetate stationary resulting in a perfect print.

Once dry, I used Multi Medium Matte to glue both the Window Sheet and the Basic Black card stock behind the Whisper White frame. I then glued the Fun Foam frame to the stack and then peeled off the adhesive backing and adhered the stack to the card front.

I used the small camera die to cut three cameras from Real Red and one from Basic Black card stock. I used the Black Soot Distress Ink to rub over the red cameras. I added rhinestones to the lens of each camera and then used Dimensionals to adhere them to the card front.

The Balloon Bouquet Punch was used to punch three balloons from a Real Red polka dot paper from the retired Brights Designer Series Paper Stack. I chose the retired rather than the current one because I wanted small polka dots for the balloons. I used Black Soot Distress ink to ink the edges of each balloon, adding a bit more shadow to the right side.

I tied lengths of Basic Black Baker's Twine to each balloon and then attached them to the card front using Dimensionals. I used a glue dot to adhere the twine ends under a button from the Neutrals Designer Buttons. I topped the button with a knotted 1/8" Real Red Ribbon, now retired.

For the inside of the card, I stamped once with the Snapshot stamp and three times with the camera stamp from the retired Peachy Keen stamp set, using Smoky Slate ink.

I'm pleased with how this card turned out and I think my brother will like it!

Do you have a photographer in your life? Or are you the photographer? Drop me a comment below and let me know!

Balloon Congratulations For Global Design Project

I made the deadline for the Global Design Project #023 this time! It was a close call because I was having a bit of difficulty coming up with a balloon design. However, I persevered and finished my card!

My card colors also allow me to participate again in the Stampin' Royalty Challenge #317.

I started by punching large and small balloons from Watercolor Paper using the Balloon Bouquet Punch. I used Stampin' Sponges to color each with either Bermuda Bay, Cucumber Crush or Watermelon Wonder.

I grew a bit frustrated with designing a balloon bouquet because the balloons just didn't look right. Not until I came up with my current design did I think to do a Google search for balloon bouquet examples!

To make my design work, I referenced the four design principles that I had learned when I studied Multimedia Design:

1. Contrast
2. Repetition
3. Alignment
4. Proximity

To make these four principles easy to remember, we used the word CRAP. There is a really good downloadable poster that summarizes these points here.

For my card, I chose to use Contrast and Repetition. For the Repetition principle, I lined up two rows of alternating colors of balloons to use as the focal point of my card. When I used a different color and varied the position of one of the balloons, I used the Contrast principle.

For my card base, I used Watermelon Wonder and chose a finished card size of 4 3/4 x 6". From a wavy Bermuda Bay design on one of the Shine On Specialty Designer Series Papers I cut a matte. I adhered the matte to the card front using Fast Fuse Adhesive.

Using a ruler, I lined up the first row of five balloons, overlapping each and alternating colors, across the card. The balloons were offset on the sides and top of the card; I adhered them with Fast Fuse Adhesive.

I adhered four of the balloons in the second row and then for the focal point balloon, I used a Watermelon Wonder balloon and popped it up on double Dimensionals for the top part of the balloon and a single for the bottom. I also moved the balloon slightly above the alignment of the row of balloons. Using a pair of scissors, I trimmed off the balloons where they overhung the card base.

Before adhering the Watermelon Wonder balloon, I tied a length of black twine, separated from one of the twines in the Baker's Twine Combo Pack, around the balloon. I took a small amount of Crystal Effects and ran it up and down the twine with my fingers and then I left it to dry. I then wound the twine tightly around a pencil to give it a corkscrew twirl.

Using one of the now retired Adorning Accents Edgelits dies, I cut scallop borders onto a strip of Watermelon Wonder card stock. I cut a strip of Bermuda Bay striped paper from the Shine On DSP and adhered it on top of the scalloped piece. Using Fast Fuse Adhesive, I adhered this strip over top of the end of the balloon string.

Using the handy reference for the Banner Triple Punch found on the Feeling Crafty With Bekka site, I cut a strip of Cucumber Crush card stock and flagged each end with the punch. I used my MISTI with Stazon ink to stamp the sentiment from the now retired Sky Is The Limit Stamp Set. Using my MISTI allowed me to stamp the sentiment three times for a nice black impression. I used a Stampin' Sponge with Cucumber Crush ink to ink the edges of the banner.

I adhered the banner with Dimensionals to the card stock strip on the card front.

To amp up the design of the card, I used my Clear Wink of Stella pen to generously glimmerize (I think I created a new word here!) the Watermelon Wonder balloon as well as adhere an assortment of coordinating sequins.

I think this card creates a colorful party atmosphere befitting any type of congratulatory occasion!

Hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about design and my card making process today. I'd love you to drop me a comment below!