'Tis the Season!

Nope, not the holiday season.  Not wedding season, either.  Mid-summer means that we are on the brink of Birthday Season! Beginning the last week of August and running through September, the majority of my friends and some family members have birthdays. myself included! My friend, Jen, has an entire week where there is a friend or roommate with a birthday each day.  Birthday season means lots of food, drinks, and parties. 

Birthday season also begins the madness of the card making season for me.  In the summer, I try to stock up on birthday cards (for all of those September birthdays!), begin to design thank you cards (for my own birthday loot), and then before I know it it is time to make Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas cards.  Whew.

The other night I decided to hunker down and start to make some birthday cards.  I love  3X3 cards. I think they are super cute and petite.  Unfortunately, they aren't the easiest to mail since they are so small!  They work well for birthday cards when I know I will be going to a party or dinner and can hand the card to the birthday celebrator.

In the spring, Stampin' Up! introduced the Create a Cupcake stamp set with a coordinating builder punch.  I bought them both right away, and was happy to see that they carried over into the new 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog.  I've been so busy lately, I just opened them now even though I've had them for months!

The first card I designed is this 3X3 note.  It was inspired by the catalog design on page 68.  To make it, I cut the paper 6X3, folded it in half, and ran it through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions embossing folder to get raised dots on 1/2 of the card.  I used the scallop trim border punch to give even more texture and girliness to this card!  Finally, after punching out the cupcake icing, I lined the edge with a thin layer of glue and applied Dazzling Diamonds glitter to give it a little sparkle.

Cardstock: Pink Pirouette, Pear Pizazz, Whisper White Ink: Pink Pirouette, Pear Pizazz, Chocolate Chip
Tools: Create a Cupcake builder punch, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Scallop Trim Border Punch
Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

The second card didn't turn out as well as I had hoped.  I like the idea of it, but not the execution!  The first card was so girly, I decided to use more subdued colors on the second. I also wanted to try out the new Wild Wasabi embossing powder as well as a popular ribbon technique.  I chose Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi and Whisper White as my color pallet.  The issue I had with the card was lining up the bottom of the cupcake after embossing the "icing" as well as keeping the folds of the ribbon even.  Many of them are crooked (both cupcakes and ribbons!).  If you receive this card from me for your birthday- don't despair!  While it's not my favorite, I love the color scheme and I still took the time to make a set of them to use.



Cardstock: Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Whisper White Ink: Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso, Versamark
Tools: Heat tool, Embossing Buddy
Accessories: Wild Wasabi embossing powder, Marina Mist satin ribbon


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