Everyday Expressions

Hi Everyone! I am so excited to share this vintage birthday card with you! I created it for my awesome brother-in-law’s birthday today, and used some great new products I just purchased from Simon Says Stamp. I’m entering this card in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, Shake It Up, featuring We R Memory Keepers products.

Often I begin a card by selecting the papers and color combinations I like. I decided upon a blue from Tim Holtz Kraft-Core Nostalgic Collection, black Simon Says heavyweight cardstock, and a lovely page from Prima’s Cartographer 6X6 paper pad. This is the first time using the Kraft Core and Prima papers, and I love them both. The Prima paper is heavy. I can’t find a weight on the packaging, but it’s very heavy without actually being cardstock. Love it!

I tore the Kraft-Core to about A2 card size, and then sanded it lightly by placing the edges on the side of the craft table to get a little bend in it. Then I softly blended Weathered Wood and Black Soot Distress Inks on the edges.

Next I cut the Prima paper, and distressed the edges with my TH distressing tool. Then I blended around the edges with Vintage Photo DI. (I usually do the front and the back just in case the back edges curl up a little. Then you never see a white backing.) Finally, I taped the blue Kraft-Core to the black card base, and used black craft foam to add dimension between the blue and Prima panels.

I used my We R Memory Keepers Fuse Tool to create the circle shaker from an Avery Elle Stamp Storage Pocket and a circle die from SSS Nested Circle Wafer Dies. Have you bought your Fuse Tool yet? This is something I can’t recommend enough! I made a lot of shaker cards in the last year, and I can’t tell you how frustrated I would get at the mess of gluing acetate panels together and waiting for them to dry. Only to have beads stick to the edges or fall out of the bottom! Ugh! But not any longer with my Fuse Tool! (My awesome hubby bought it for me for Christmas!) I use the die as a tracing tool and go around the outer edge with the fuse leaving a small opening for my filler. I added brown sequins, beads, TH Idea-ology Sprocket Gears and Expedition Ephemera pieces.

I taped two of the SSS circle dies onto 90 lb. watercolor paper for the sentiment circle frame. Then I blended Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire, and Vintage Photo DI to color it. Next I stamped the sentiment from SSS Circle Sayings with VersaFine black ink. I taped the circle to the shaker, and then used foam dots to adhere the shaker to the card.

I liked the card, but felt it still needed something. This was an example of a situation in which I had to walk away from the project and come back to it this morning. After thumbing through my stamps, I was excited to find SSS Big Birthday Wishes. I knew it would be the perfect finishing touch! I love that this set looks very vintage. Finally, I added the brads to the corners.

Well…what do you think? There is so much that I love about this card! I love the vintage look, Tim’s products, Simon Says stamps, the cool stuff in the shaker, and that it’s masculine.

Thanks for stopping by! I’ve been getting some great messages and support. Please follow me if like what you see. Love and artsy hugs!

Erin