Birthday Card Stockpile

I knew it was time to seriously up the number on my birthday stash of cards.  I had depleted it pretty well.  Birthday cards are what I give out the most of.  So as typical in my process, I scoured blogs, Pinterest, my stash till I had something that was coming together in my head. (I typically won't start working on anything till I can "see" the card in my head.)

Now, not every time does it mean I end up with 10 cards in one sitting.  In this case, though, it did.  Yay! 

So, I started out with the latest challenge sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch.  

It is a super cute sketch.  I think I love CAS(E) this Sketch because it is simple and quick.  This happens to be my style.  I still want to be able to pull off shabby chic but I just struggle with that one.  But the super quick, lots of white space, simple cards I just get.  Ya know?

I have been itching to do some ink blending, so I got out my distress inks.  I stuck to a simple color scheme with those, just yellows and pinks.  I used:  mustard seed, scattered straw, spun sugar, and picked raspberry.  I then got out my stash of scrap papers.  I began with the strips of 1 1/2 inch by 5 1/2 inch scraps.  (I cut all my scraps down to certain sizes and if the scrap is less than that or can't be cut down to those set sizes it gets tossed.  😲 Shocking I know.)

Then I just began blending till I liked what I was getting.  To some of the strips I added stamped images from Simon Says Stamp, or some stamps I got with a magazine.  Whatever hit my fancy.  I did stick with the birthday theme.  For some of the strips I added some washi tape from the Dollar Tree.  The plaid tape was gifted to me in a swap.  The owls I picked up from my local Dollar Tree (aren't those owls the cutest?)

Then back to my scraps I went looking at my 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch pieces that would match with the strips.  I then cut those pieces with my stitched landscape dies by poppystamps.  (I picked these up from Simon Says Stamps)  I cut the pieces to show the designs underneath as far up as each one seemed meant to be cut.

I then added some prima flowers to some, some with a few square clear gems, and then some with sentiments I picked up premade from Dollar Tree on kraft cardstock and corrugated board.

I love how they turned out.  Some I am not quite  through with.  I may add some balloons, more gems...we'll see but for the most part they will be given as they are right now.  This was a great sketch that offered a lot fun.

Here are all the cards I made:  

I am entering these cards into CAS(E) this Sketch's #203:See the link Here!

And Incy Wincy Designs Challenge Blog:  Celebrate Challenge