Tuesday, February 12, 2013

it's birthday mania!!!

ok, strictly speaking, this week's challenge at shopping our stash isn't actually called "birthday mania"... but it could be... or at least, the brief is to make a card, layout, tag or any other papercrafting project with a birthday theme. since this week, as you know, niece riley is turning eleven, there was much joy and rapture; not to mention a certain amount of sewing, gluing and embellishing!

(pocket + chipboard: teresa collins, patterned paper: basic grey, echo park, amy tangerine, sei; bunting: basic grey;felt cupcake: recollections; rub-ons: EAD designs; ink: colorbox; adhesives: staples brand gluetape runner, gluedots, sewing machine)
i had A TOTAL BLAST making this, and for sheer elderly, forgotten-about-stash usage, i think it is kinda hard to beat, but i'll essplain that part in a minute. you see it all started with a sketch. this one, from deconstructing jen:


as soon as i saw it, i thought, "that center panel should be A POCKET!"; because, yeah, even when talking to myself i use a lot of bold print, all caps and exclamation points. :) then i unearthed a verrrrrry old sheet of teresa collins punch-out cardstock elements which mostly consisted of pockets and little cards to go in them, so i was all set. then i added a few more tags. then i embellished the heck out of everything! then i built the rest of the card around the pocket element. then... belatedly... i discovered that the pocket really really reallllllllly needed to be sewn on if it was going to be as overstuffed as this and still stay attached. then i discovered that some of my cards and tags had been a pretty tight fit and had to basically squeeeeeeeze them all back in. but they fit. luckily. phew.

(tags: teresa collins, heidi grace, cosmo cricket; stickers + elements: echo park, love elsie, sei, hello kitty, ; alphas: making memories, doodlebug; strawberry brad: doodlebug; washi tape: recollections, hambly; ribbons: american crafts, heidi swapp, michaels; ink: colorbox; adhesives: staples brand gluetape runner)
you can see i used the colour q palette again, even though i knew that challenge would be over by the time i posted this. for one thing, my worktable was still covered with pink and red and smashing orangey bits.* for another thing, i just really like this combination!


speaking of combinations i really like, the SOS design team has done stellar work, as usual, and you will heartily enjoy seeing it! so off you go darlings, to check it out! ♥♥♥

*jaffa cake, anyone?! :) :) :) 

11 comments:

  1. Oh man, she must have LOVED taking out all the little bits to check them out! Kids love it SO much when there are hidden fiddly interactive elements :) And omg, our internal language is apparently very similar. I also seem to insert chat acronyms here & there now...nothing like thinking "LOL" TO YOURSELF :)
    That was a close one with fitting everything back in - THAT WOULD have SUCKED! Whew.

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  2. This is such a girly card! I just love how you have taken the time to put it all together, and make it such a fun card! Just looking at it makes me feel HAPPY. I bet your neice will love it!! Thanks for all the work you do behind the scenes for those of us who love to make cards, and for your great inspiration!

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  3. WOWSERS!!! SO pretty - love all those bright, bold, and wonderful colors on this! Fantastic!
    Lynn

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  4. Oooh, how fun is this!!! Love all the layers and yummy colours! I am certain she will treasure it so!

    BTW, you have inspired me to create a Travel journal (SMASH style) for our upcoming family trip to the Canadian Rockies! I am so excited and having so much fun with it!!! It is so fun to just stamp and stick things here and there with abandon kwim?!? AND, you may be interested to know that I am most certainly and definitely putting to use LOTS of that fabulous stash you sent me last summer when I won your fab blog candy! Just thought you might want to know that you've inspired me, can't wait to get some more pages done. I have posted the first few on my blog.
    Cheers,
    Shanna :)

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  5. a pocket? genius. and yes, i talk to myself ALL THE TIME, mostly in caps with lots of !!!!!!!!! :D

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  6. That pocket was a brilliant idea.

    Love the colours...it is so bright and lively...just what Riley will love!

    She is going to love taking all the elements in and out of it!

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  7. I just love pink and orange together! This is fabulous!! I'm so glad you were able to join us for the sketch!

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  8. Wow! Gorgeous, bright AND a filled pocket!! What an amazing project...love the variety and detail! Great job! And TALKING to self? Yep! I'm sure it improves my reasoning skills...or something. What do you think?
    Sandie

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  9. Lauren - Gorgeous as always! Love this card. The colors are great (Riley must have loved this!) and that pocket stuffed with tags is so cute! What a greta idea! You have me thinking now!! Can't wait to see what you create next!
    Blessings,
    Michelle

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  10. How cute!!! You added one of those cupcakes I sent ya. Aren't they so neat!! I just love this card so much. Its my fav. I love the pocket and the tabs, oh the sewing. Its awesome... Awesome.

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