Birthday Card | Hello Bluebird - Pig Day & Avery Elle - Market Stand Sets | Guest Designer on the AAA Birthday Challenge Blog - Game #5 "Use a Stencil"

Hey There Birthday Fans!

I am thrilled to be the Guest Designer over on the AAA Birthday Blog for their #5 Challenge: "Use A Stencil" and to be sharing these cute Hello Bluebird critters with you! Head on over to the blog and see all of the great ideas that the designers have created for this challenge. I will have to admit that I was a little late to the stencil party (I just starting using them about a year ago!) but now my collection of designs just seems to multiply like magic in my craft closet! 

I love combining products and this card has it all: MFT Stamps' "Geometric Star Stencil" & "Elegant Rectangles Die-Namics", Lawn Fawn's "Happy Happy Happy Stamps", Avery Elle's "Market Stand Set" and the aforementioned "Pig Day" Crew! 

I began by lightly blending Shaded Lilac and Twisted Citron Distress Oxide Inks at the top and bottom of a 4.25" x 5.5" panel of white card stock - leaving a bit of the white showing through in the middle. Salty Ocean and Lucky Clover were then blended through the Geometric Star Stencil on top; diluted inks and shimmer mist were spattered/sprayed and blotted to give the panel texture. This panel was die cut using the second largest shaped die. I blended another panel using the same inks with heavier values to provide a solid color gradation and die cut it with the largest rectangle. The stenciled panel was adhered to the background with foam tape.

I partially stamped the market stand using the MISTI from the bottom up because I didn't want to use the top header board. This left the two tall supports on either side incomplete and I extended them to the height I wanted with a fine-tip black marker. I colored the stand, partially die cut the image and then trimmed the extended supports with my craft knife. I stamped the small banner in the same way - leaving the ends "open" and drew the rest of the "rope" line and fussy cut the image; the banner was colored and glued to the top of the wooden supports.

The Hello Bluebird pig, bird and balloon were all stamped, colored and die cut. I wanted the pig's arm to hang over the edge of the counter so I just made a small slit along the inside edge and slipped him into place, taping him behind the stand. A second blank die cut was glued behind the balloon to give it more stability and then glued behind the pig and onto the market stand. The sentiment die cut was glued into place and then I stamped the word "Birthday" VERY CAREFULLY using the MISTI. :)

The market stand was adhered to the stencil panel with foam tape, a light coating of Wink of Stella was applied to the images and a few sparkling gems were added to finish off the card front. In order to make a shaped top-folding card base, I placed the largest die 1/8" over the top of an A-2 size card base and cut it over the folded edge. I wanted this shaped card to 'stand' on its own but it rocked with a rounded bottom edge; so I just trimmed 1/8" (from the back panel only) and this allowed it to sit perfectly level. The entire front panel was then glued to the shaped card base.

I just love the happy images from this Hello Bluebird Set!

Thanks so much for joining me today and head over the AAA Birthday Blog and check out the other great submissions! I appreciate each and every comment :)

I have also entered this card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday AG Challenge

Do-A1 Creative - #33 Cut (Shaped) Cards

Crafty Animals - #30 Anything Goes

2 Craft Critter Crazies - #30 Anything Goes with a Critter

Love To Craft Challenge Blog - #38 - AG

Dragonfly Dreams Challenge - Happy Birthday

Crazy 4 Challenges - C4C500 Shaped Card

Rachelle ♥