Happy Birthday Cards

I've got a card to share that I started working on a couple of weeks ago. I had trouble with creating it, so when I got frustrated, I'd walk away from it. When I felt like I could try again, I'd go back and get a little bit closer to finishing it. I tried last week to get it done, but the girls kept distracting me with this, that or the other. I'm sure you get the gist. Well, they are back to school now, so I had no excuses today when I decided to try and finish it. 

Success! 

I picked up a book on interactive cards at Joann's last month. One of the cover cards drew me in big time and it was the attempt at making this card that got me so frustrated. It wasn't that the card design was so difficult, it was the fact that I don't own the die that the person used to create the model card. I wanted to manipulate my Spellbinders Labels One die cut to work. I think I finally got it! Here's my version of the card that is on the cover of the book.

I decided to use a Hero Arts stamp set called Cupcakes. I really wanted to use the sentiment included in the set, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the stamped sentiment to fit into the opening when the slider was pulled out. That was another source of frustration with this card. I decided to use the computer for that part. I found the font,  Celia Garcia, on Dafont. The papers are mostly from DCWV's The Birthday Wishes stack (6x6 size) The happy birthday is from Papertrey Ink's Birthday Basics. (note to self; look for some new birthday stamps!) I used Sharpies to color in the cupcake image and fussy cut the images and attached with foam squares.  I used a Labels One Spellbinders die and my trimmer to cut the opening for the slider portion. I was going to decorate the inside, too, but you know what? I didn't feel like it anymore after I got it done today. I'm calling it good. :)

This next card was inspired by one that was linked on my friend, Alanna's blog. (Alanna's blog is fun. She is a sweetheart and makes great Clean and Simple cards-check it out if you have a minute) She was highlighting a new follower on this post and I clicked over on the link she provided. And proceeded to get all happy about the card I saw. I started following Katie's blog, too, and decided to case the card. Did you follow that? I keep trying to explain it and it seems so convoluted. Here's a link to the card I was inspired by.

It's a case for sure, the Paper Smooches kitty from Chubby Chums sure makes me smile. Doodlebug stripes seem to fit the card. The paper is from Doodlebug's Fruit Stand 6x6 pad. I colored the kitties with pencils and odorless mineral spirits. I tried to color the background with pencil, too, but it didn't look good. I thought I could color over it with Sharpie and get away with it, but seeing it here, that didn't work so well. In real life, it doesn't look that different. Hrmmmm, may have to restamp and recolor. Sigh.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Hope you have a happy day.

*Ü*

Jeanne