Butterflies and Belleek

It's been awhile since I've made a card for an SCS challenge.  I loved the "Try A New Technique" challenge posted today called "Inspired by Belleek Pottery".  The challenge is to create the look of this pottery by using the negative embossing technique.  We were challenged to emboss a piece of white or light colored cardstock with an embossing folder that has the front or top of the folder inked with a light colored ink.  I used ivory cardstock and Stampin' Up's River Rock with a Cuttlebug folder featuring butterflies.  Here's my card:

The embossed panel was matted on River Rock cardstock and attached to the card base of Blush Blossom cardstock.  The sentiment "Thinking of You", from Stampin' Up's Friend to Friend, was stamped in Blush Blossom, die cut with Nestabilities oval die and sponged with Blush Blossom.  The oval was attached to a tag of River Rock cardstock cut with Spellbinders Fancy Tags die.  To strips of eyelet bordered ivory satin ribbon I added prima flowers and butterflies cut with a Martha Stewart punch in shades of peachy pink cardstock.

It's my birthday today and I think this card suits me to a tee. I love butterflies and love this shades Peachy Pink!!

New Year, New Cards

It's almost the halfway through January and I'm already behind in my goal of posting to this blog at least once a week.  Today I'm posting a number of birthday cards I've recently created for friends and family.  The first one was for my friend Bill whose birthday is January 1st.  I used Mojo Monday sketch 214 for the layout and designer papers are by DCWV La Creme Stack.  The sentiment is from Gina K's  Inside and Out stamp set and the finishing touch was a plaid ribbon attached with a medal button with the word "birthday" engraved on it:

 The inside of the card features another sentiment from the Gina K Inside and Out stamp set:

 The second card was for my sister Donna who celebrated her birthday on January 3rd.  Because teal is one of Donna's favorite colors I used this paper from DCWV The Downtown Loft Stack.  The image is a stamp by Elizabeth Bell for Ladybug and Friends called "Hello Sunshine".  The prima flowers were just the right touch for a pretty card for a special sister:

 The third birthday card is for my nephew's wife Linda who celebrated her birthday January 8th.  The layout is from Splitcoaststampers sketch 365.  Papers are by DCWV All Occasion Glitter Stack.  The sentiment is from Gina K's Inside and Out stamp set.  The fushia flower give this black, silver and white theme a punch of color along with a glittery brad:

 On January 10th we celebrated my BFF Barbara's birthday.  She loves red so that was the theme for her card.  Papers were from Stampin' Up, DCWV La Creme Stack and Bazzill.  Mojo Monday sketch 223 was the inspiration for the layout.  The red layer with the lacy black overlay was made on my Cricut with cartridge Paper Lace.  The large 'B' was made with my SCAL software and outlined with Black stickles.  I created the sentiment on my Word program.  The final touch was a bow made from sheer red ribbon topped with black, cream and red flowers.

 Last but certainly not least is a card I created for my cousin Jim who is celebrating his birthday today.  The layout was taken from Splitcoaststamper's sketch367.  The plaid d.p. is by Pebblesinc. The green layer framing the striped designer paper was punched with my EK Success candle punch.  The sentiment with spinner is a Stampin Up stamp "Take A Spin".  Two silver square brads add a little embellishment to what I hope is good masculine birthday card: