Birthday Card

Hi Everyone!  Today I'm posting a birthday card I made for my daughter using my Cricut Imagine.  This was the first project I did using my new machine!  I just love it!  :o)

Using my Cricut Imagine and my Imagine More cartridge, I cut the card out using the layers feature and print/cut each layer out four times, and then twice using the cut only option with plain white cardstock. I chose different patterned papers for each layer.  For the card front, I cut away the leaves and ran the red layer of the flower through my Big Kick using the Regal Flourishes Sizzix embossing folder.  Then I embossed the leaves separately using my Herringbone Cuddlebug folder.  

I inked all of the edges of each layer using various colors from my Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Inks and then began adhering the layers together over top of the plain white flower, front and back.  


On the inside I adhered the red layer and, since I planned to insert a gift card, I cut a small envelope with my Cricut, inked all the edges, and adhered it to the inside panel.

Before adhering the flower center to the inside panel, I stamped the sentiment using Clear Art Stamps by Crafty Secrets, Glamour Girls from the Heartwarming Vintage Collection.  

I decided to add the image of the girl (it reminded me of my daughter) by stamping it onto a piece of vellum and coloring it in with my regular Sharpie markers, shading from the back.  Then I cut the image out and adhered it with mini glue dots in opaque places of the image where the dots wouldn't show.  Isn't she the cutest?!?  :o)

To hinge the card together, I scored the edge of the card front only, secured it to the back using my ATG gun, and punched a hole.  I used a blingy brad from my stash which I pushed through two inked flowers and secured it to the card.

For the back of the card I simply inked the edges and then added my business stamp.  Later I covered the stems from the brad, but I forgot to take a photo of that--sorry!  :o}

I always dress up my business stamp to match the card and this time I added a little birdie I cut with my Martha Stewart punch.  Isn't it cute?  

Call me a perfectionist, but I can never send out a card in a plain white envelope, lol!  This one I cut from scratch using the darling polka dot cardstock from DCWV, Nana's Nursery stack.  I thought it coordinated just great and added that little bit extra to the ensemble.  I added my last flower layers to the front of the envelope using my Xyron machine--it glues things permanently so I don't have to worry about anything falling off once it goes through the post office.  The flower center was a simple circle cut from a Meade lined paper pad--it worked better for the address.  I hand wrote "Happy Birthday" all around the circle.

The back of the envelope had to be special, too!  I added another cut circle, a return address label, and adorned it with little flowers cut with my paper punch.  I then added a kitty-cat (my granddaughters are crazy about kitties, lol!) that I cut with the same cartridge.

That's it--the birthday card is complete and ready to be dropped in the mail.  I hope you enjoyed today's post!  


Have a great day!


Merilee


Recipe Ingredients:  Patterned Paper:  Imagine More Cartridge-Pgs. 38-39, 43-44
Cardstock:  DCWV-Nana's Nursery; Colobok-Textured Cardstock; Vellum-Staples; Lined Paper-Meade
Stamps:  Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps-Glamour Girls, Heartwarming Vintage Collection
Embellishments:  Blingy Brad-my stash; Flowers-my stash
Ink:  Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Ink-Various Colors
Tools:  Cricut Imagine; Cricut Imagine Cartridge-Imagine More-Grateful Flower-Pg. 16, Kitty-Cat-Pg. 11, Envelope-Bonus Content-Pg. 29; Big Kick; Sizzix/Tim Holtz Embossing Folder-Regal Flourishes; Cuddlebug Embossing Folder-Herringbone; Bird Punch-Martha Stewart; Flower Punch-The Paper Studio; ATG gun; Xyron machine