It's a Girl!

I think I'm safe to post this card here today -- I made it for a baby shower that I'm going to go to in a couple weeks. I don't think she knows I blog, so it should be ok. If not, Heather -- please look away ;-)

I picked up a sweet background stamp at Joanns a few weeks ago -- on clearance for like $1.97 or some crazy small amount. I love it, it looks like vintage lace. One of my resolutions this year was -- if I buy it I have to use it....and not in like 5 years - I have to use it SOON after the purchase.

So, since I have other projects and classes that needed to be worked on today - it was the perfect time to do something OTHER than what I am supposed to be doing -- all the things on my way LONG to-do list -- and use that pretty stamp!

Here's how I made this card, in case you want to make one too:

Note: I made the decorative panel before I attaching it to the cream blank card base so most of the stitching will be hidden in between the panel and the card blank.

1. First I stamped the lace stamp on cream cardstock using ballerina pink ink and trimmed it down to remove the excess cardstock.
2. Next I stamped flowers (Papertrey Ink) using white ink on kraft cardstock and trimmed it down. I attached the two stamped backgrounds together and matted them on a piece of patterned paper (VERY OLD Basic Grey I think.)
3. Then I stamped the frame and "it's a girl" (Martha Stewart) sentiment using black StazOn Ink on cream cardstock and stamped the lace stamp with Versamark over the top and trimmed it out. I added a little pink ink to the edges.

   

4. I used my Spellbinders die (from StampMart) to diecut the patterned paper for the background. To make a diecut that was not available in the set, I traced the metal die on another piece of patterned paper and cut it out with scissors and added them to my card. This gives me a mat with a 1/8" space instead of 1/4"
5. The pink ribbon and cream twill is cut to the slightly wider than the width of the card and the ends wrapped around to the back, adhering them with double stick tape.
6. For an additional spot of color, I die-cut a Spellbinders Labels 4 from pink cardstock and cut it in half, placing each half in the center of the Labels 1 die from StampMart.
7. Now it's time to add some stitching, I used a basic straight stitch with my sewing machine and stitched around the edge of the card and the Labels 1 diecut.
8. I made a double bow using vintage seam binding tape -- attaching it to the twill.

To finish of the card:

1. Attach the sentiment block to the card with 3D Dots (or Pop Dots) to give the card a little dimension.
2. Punch some butterflies (EK Success) from cream cardstock, ink the edges and attach to the card panel. Use 3D dots to lift them off the card if you want.
3. Attach the panel to a cream cardbase and stitch around just the the edges to secure it in place, pull the thread ends to the back and tie them off to secure.
4. For an additional embellishment, I stamped "congratulations" on cream cardstock and die cut it using a tiny Spellbinders Label die, inked the edges and tied it around the bow with twine and a button to keep it secure and hide the knot.

That's it. It didn't take that long once I got right down to it. You could make the same type of card - just change the sentiment or colors to make it fit what you need a card for.

Thank for stopping by, have a great day!