Happy Birthday Dad

I know, I know, we're all busy but as much as I would love to stamp and post everyday, it's just not possible right now. I want to get into a stamping routine but the kids are done school and now it's their time. Does anyone else find themselves falling in love with lots of stamps - i.e. collecting them - and yet not have enough time to play them?! So many stamps yet so little time!!

Anyway, it's my dad's 72nd Birthday and it took me a while to make this card. It's so hard to make a male card but I'm really proud of how this turned out. Stamping Bella to the rescue with the balloon circle stamp. This stamp is so versatile and can be used for all genders and ages.

The Off-white CS was put through the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder and the DP is DCWV - can't remember which stack. I coloured the image with Copics, selecting the colours using the DP for inspiration. The ribbon is a nice chocolate by SU. I didn't want to use a bow this time so I punched out 3 flowers with my EK Success punch in SU blue CS and added yummy light green Bella Baubles in the centre of each. The flowers were adhered to the centre of the ribbon first with Tombow glue and then the baubles added with the same glue. I keep forgetting to try glue dots - maybe next time.

I used Brilliance Graphite Black ink for the image and cut the image out with my circle Spellbinder dies and matted with SU blue CS again cut with the Spellbinder dies. I then used the scalloped circle die to cut out the brown mat from DCWV textured CS. All colours used were to compliment those already in the DP.

The scallops on the DP were done using my SU corner rounder - I know scallops hard to see in picture. I wish the scallops had turned out better but maybe it's takes more practice. I'm going to try the SU slit punch next time as well to see if I like those scallops better.

The second picture shows the inside of the card. I cut out the DP using SU's large oval punch. The sentiment by Stamping Bella was stamped with Rich Cocoa Memento Dew Drop dye ink - loveeeey these dew drop inks and almost bought every colour from Stamping Bella - and cut out with the SU window punch. I added a flower and Bella Bauble - same as used on the front of the card - thus carrying the colours from the front of the card to the inside. I never know what to do with the inside as it's usually boring compared to what's done on the front. This time, I dressed up the inside as well and I'm really pleased with it.

A few more announcements now that I'm actually posting:

1. Happy Birthday to Emily at Stamping Bella . She's celebrating both her Birthday and Canada day by offering FREE shipping until July 1st. So check out her website and oh ya - there's a couple of new Bellas - Yipee - and other cool stuff that may want to make their way into your shopping cart.
2. Spellbinder Nestabilities are turning 1 already and they're celebrating with a 2-week long party! Someone - hope it's me, hope it's me - will be winning a new Wizard plus $500 worth of dies. To repeat - hope it's me, hope it's me! Check-out their home page here for more details. I can't wait!

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend.