crafting this and that

Hello.  Quick post, trying to see if I can squeeze in my entry to Eva's Farm Fresh Friday Challenge this week before I don't have time to do it tomorrow.  And I'm also trying to watch the Olympics at the same time as typing. This is the original birthday Anya, figured it might be appropriate for a 1 year old who could end up with birthday cake on her head!  Didn't actually put a sentiment on the outside of the card this time, maybe I'll stamp something on the inside.  Patterned papers are from DCWV Nana's Kids, the bright colors were kind of fun.  Found some neon green paper in my stash, and also used New Leaf, Sweet Blush, and Raspberry Fizz PTI cardstock.  Matted the striped paper with my Perfect Layers rulers .  Die cut the picot circle, circle and scalloped circle nestabilites.  Ribbons are from Michaels, button from PTI.  Used a Doodlebug sticker for the "1."

I tried something a little different for a birthday card. I found it modified here on the Dandelion Designs blog that was initially a card here . I used the Amazing Duo boy again. He was a nice size to fit this card that measures about 4 inches by 3.25 inches. I still haven't used the girl superhero yet (not many girl birthdays in the summer of the people I know). Anyhow, he was colored with pencils and baby oil...at some point I really need to learn shading. So far I found 2 bloggers that use color pencils here and here that look really nice. But I haven't really been able to practice a whole bunch since I'm usually so last minute trying to make a card. And hard core crafters, please don't cringe, but I even had to buy a card for an upcoming birthday because after making this one, it was getting to be too much work for me. Mainly to try to get it in the mail on time. I guess I should plan ahead and try to make a whole bunch of cards beforehand so I always...

Here's a pretty simple birthday card, actually I guess all my cards are pretty simple, because after putting together the Hello Kitty, I was exhausted! The Hello Kitty is from a Sizzix die, paper pieced using PTI plum pudding cardstock and patterned paper from one of the paper pad collections. I tried paper piecing the whiskers on this one, it was a little easier since the Hello Kitty is rather large. She is supposed to be holding a "happy birthday" flower. I used a swirly border die for the stem. The sentiment is a Stampin Up stamp, plum pudding ink on sweet blush cardstock, don't know why I picked that color. And I don't know why the bitty dot paper looks like a slightly different color than the plum pudding cardstock, but they seem to match better in person. The background is lavendar moon cardstock cut from a Nestability label.