Streamlined: Male Hybrid Birthday Cards

Dear Reader,
I find myself often needing birthday cards for male relatives and being at a loss of what to make the night before I need to send one out.  Sound familiar? 

Perhaps you are much better than I and are a planner.  I aspire to be you.

So, I followed your example and made all the male relative birthday cards up until April in January.  I felt proud of myself and then promptly forgot to send the first 2 January birthday cards out in time for my uncle and cousin to receive them on (or before) their birthday.
 
Lesson learned: make the cards AND send them out on time.

I decided on doing a graphic streamlined design with a few alterations to personalize the card.  Personalization: the birth date of the birthday guy + the stamp used. 

I have been enthralled with dates lately.  Studio Calico had some awesome month and date of the week stamp sets which I foolishly missed out on and ever since I have been collecting date items to compensate.  I call it stamp envy.

So, I found a very cool digital kit by Ali Edwards at Designer Digitals with days of the week and also used some awesome digital elements I bought from Roben-Marie Smith before she retired from digital designing (big loss!  Good news: she still has her stamp company, Paperbag Studios).

I tried to use a border/background stamp that either symbolized an interest of the birthday guy or had a design aesthetic I thought they would appreciate.  I really love the look of a line of graphics that border stamps (or sometimes background stamps like those by Papertrey Ink or Glitz Designs) give you.

Another moment to praise Studio Calico: their stamps are wonderful (admittedly, the reason I subscribed many moons ago) and when possible I used some of the border stamps I had in my collection.  Like the books.  I have a cousin who reads voraciously so that stamp was perfect for him.

Here are the rest of the cards for your viewing pleasure:

 

Thanks for stopping by the Hall!

Happy creating,
Shay.

Date Birthday Cards
Supplies:
Digital:
{days of the week}Today Textured Word Art by Ali Edwards at Designer Digitals;
{month}{circled numbers} Dirty Vellum Daters by Roben-Marie Designs, retired
Physical:
Stamps: {books} {harper's ruler} {herringbone} {stars} Studio Calico
{newsprint} Glitz Designs
{hieroglyphics} Judi-Kins
{2 0 1 1} Martha Stewart
Ink: pumice stone, Tim Holtz's Distress Ink by Ranger Industries
Cardstock: white, Georgia-Pacific
Other: black & white baker's twine, Divine Twine by Whisker Graphics; Corner Chomper, We R Memory Keepers

Where Did All the White Space Go?

Dear Reader,

After playing around with some white paint in a card class my gifted friend, Liz Allen, taught a few weekends ago I knew I had to add some to a birthday card I was working on to highlight the embossed flourish the made up the base of the card.  Originally this card was going to be a lovely pure white with pops of color coming from the die cut butterflies and a little stamping in the corners, but this is me making a card and white space although beautiful withers in the face of my need for more.  So out came the Papertrey Ink background stamps and glimmer mist.  Then came the white paint to tone it down just a little bit.  How far I strayed from my dream of an elegantly subdued white embossed card!  I think my card may be the eccentric, arty cousin of the white card.

The happy birthday is from the sophie's sentiments set from Lawn Fawn.  I am sure I mentioned this...I began my Lawn Fawn experience by buying 3 stamp sets and I have been putting them to good use.  I made a couple of cards for friends in July and I hope to share those with you in the next few days.  In fact I designed their cards with these stamps in mind before I had even bought them.  Lawn Fawn = adorable!  I can't wait to buy more...now to choose which ones to buy next!?!

Anyway, here's the card:

And with the matching envelope:

Thank you for visiting the Hall!

Call again soon,
Shay.

Butterflies in Flight birthday card
Supplies:
Stamps: happy birthday from sophie's sentiments, Lawn Fawn
Background Basics: Newsprint, Background Basics: Woodgrain, Background Basics: Diamonds Background Basics: Sheet Music and Background Basics: Text Style, Papertrey Ink
corner damask from Parisian Anthology set, House of 3 by Pink Paislee
border from Butterfly Garden set, Pink Paislee
Inks: tuxedo black, Memento by Tsukineko
broken china and peeled paint, Tim Holtz Distress Ink by Ranger
Cardstock: white, Georgia-Pacific; blue from scraps
Patterned Paper: weather vane from Urban Prairie collection, Basic Grey
Mists: patina, jasper, meadow green and apple, Glimmer Mists by Tattered Angels
Dies: large butterfly from Butterflies combo set, Cuttlebug by Provo Craft
mini butterflies set, Tim Holtz Alterations by Sizzix
Embossing Folder:  flourish from Love is in the Air set, Cuttlebug by Provo Craft
Embellishment: rose die border, Sassafras
Other: gesso, Claudine Hellmuth Studio by Ranger

Last Minute

Dear Reader,

You thought you were done with me today.  After all, I posted a card today, but just in the last half hour or so I made another card for this week's color challenge. 

I have a slew of border stamps from Studio Calico which I adore (I have a slew of Studio Calico stamps period).  Actually to say I adore them is too pallid of a statement.  They are simply glorious because they are simple, clean, graphic and usually work for any number of applications.  I decided to make a background using them along with one border stamp that I also adore from Hero Arts: international skyline.    Additionally, I happen to be a nut for travel themes.  I can't get enough of them for whatever reason and it is nearly compulsive.  It's something similar to when there is a song that I really like and I listen to it over and over again.  When I love something it sticks with me. 

Back to the point, I thought all of these disparate images could come together under the sentiment from Papertrey Ink, "adventure awaits".  I love this sentiment because it is so full of promise and I recently used it on graduation cards I made because of this.  Add a airplane punch and I am happy.

Now to the card:

By the way, did you hear the sensational news that Hero Arts is now working with Studio Calico to produce stamps? Check out either Hero Arts' blog or Studio Calico's blog for more information, sneak peaks and a blog hop with chances to win said stamps and also paper from upcoming releases from Studio Calico. 

Thank you for visiting the Hall again!

I hope adventure awaits you,
Shay.

Adventure Awaits Card
Supplies:
Stamps: all border stamps except international skyline and overlapping circles (which is Studio Calico + Hero Arts), Studio Calico; international skyline (H5470), Hero Arts; adventure awaits from Road Trip set, Papertrey Ink
Ink: vintage photo, Tim Holtz Distress Ink by Ranger
Cardstock: sand, Neenah Papers; white, Georgia-Pacific; red from stash
Patterned Paper: Jenni Bowlin
Punches: airplane, EK Success; circle, Martha Stewart Crafts
Pen: memory markers in chestnut, American Crafts
Other: dimensional adhesive by American Crafts and Scotch

On the Town

Dear Reader,

I return with a card for Week 3 of the Summer Card Camp 2011 online class.  This one is completely out of character meaning it is clean and simple.  I admire cardmakers like Maile Belles who pull these cards off over and over with panache.  I am not one of them, but a girl can try can't she? 

I had a concept in mind using some lovely Hero Arts stamps I had bought, but sadly not used yet.  I broke them out and liberated them.  Hopefully they will enjoy much more inky happiness in their future.  I thought the lovely ladies from Three Silhouettes along with the Cityscape were perfect for a Girls' Night Out card.  I am not a girls' night out type of person...I am a true homebody, but I like the idea of ladies that party until they drop in killer dresses and more lethal heels.   I am happy the option is out there and some partake. 

Here's the card:

Thank you so much for visiting the Hall!

Hoping some of you have lethal heels,
Shay.

Girls' Night Out Card
Supplies:
Stamps: Three Silhouettes (LP195) and Cityscape (K5325), Hero Arts
Ink: malted milk and brown sugar, Jenni Bowlin for Ranger
Cardstock: earthstone, Neenah Papers; white, Georgia-Pacific
Pen: memory marker in chestnut, American Crafts
Other: red emboidery floss, DMC and Crop A Dile Corner Chomper, We R Memory Keepers