Wednesday 18 October 2017

Mia is ten!

How ever did that happen? Len's eldest grand daughter was ten years old yesterday and, like a lot of little girls, she's very much into horse riding as well as ballet. I made her a 'horsey' card last year so it was an 'easel style ballet' theme this year:
I used:

- 6" square white scalloped edged card, by Craftwork Cards

- a second card the same, sliced in half across the spine

- scored the main folded card right across the centre and folded it to act as the 'prop' for the easel

- two identical pieces of designer papers from the Wild Rose Studio 'Vintage Rose' paper pack, trimmed down and glued onto the inside of the easel, as well as onto what would be the 'standing up front piece of card' (there must be a technical term for this surely?!

- then stuck the easel front onto the folded section of the base card using red line tape - I did have to fiddle a little with cutting a smidgeon off to line up the scallops

- die cut the ballet shoes and ribbon using a Joanna Sheen Signature Die called 'Ballet Shoes - SD207' and a little snippet of pale pink card

- then die cut it again using a snippet of white card, backed with Stick-It, for the ribbons

- snipped the white ribbons (they did need some careful trimming, I will not lie!)  and fixed them in place onto the shoes

- despite using the embossing plates and rubber mat for the pink shoes themselves, I didn't feel there was still enough 'definition' and they looked just like a clump of pink, so I deepened the embossing using a ball ended tool and a soft mat behind the die cut

- then glued the shoes onto a square of deeper pink card (yet another snippet) which had been die cut using one of the dies from The Works 'Stitched Squares' set - and glued that onto the easel card front

- die cut the letters and age and glued them in place - using my usual trusty sets of dies

- then die cut an oblong using a die from the Lil'Inkers 'Stitched Rectangles' set of dies and a last little piece of pale pink card

- used the Misti and the matching 'Creative Corners' to stamp the sentiment using Versafine 'Vintage Sepia' ink and a stamp from the Penny Black 'Special Thoughts' sentiment set

- fixed the sentiment panel in place using thick sticky pads to act as a 'prop'

Adding the white ribbons with some careful trimming worked wonders - but, truth be told, I found this to be a hard die to work with. It cuts brilliantly but one really shouldn't need to do all the eyeball trimming and tweaking I resorted to. Bit of a thumbs down for one of my favourite range of dies there I'm afraid, sigh.

After taking the photo I did add some clear Wink of Stella to the white ribbons to give them a bit of a satin sparkle :) It probably wouldn't have shown up on the photo in any case.

Next Birthday coming up is Mia's younger sister Olivia. That's going to be so different - think football, horses, scuffed knees, dragons and such, then you'll be on the right track! I might need to shout for help from Len!

What peculiar weather we're having - it's impossible to really plan full open air days so for now our trip to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is on ice. Ha, the following week is half term when we usually avoid being swept along in hoards of kiddywinks. We'll see - decent weather is the most important thing. I can always take a little pitchfork to move the little perishers out of the way!

Wasn't that yellow/orange sky amazing on Monday!? 

As I type this am a little bit behind on Playground commenting - never fear, Parsnip and I are watching what's going on and I'll be hopping about your blogs ASAP. He really is a school sneak if he thinks there's any rattling of bottles behind the bike shed!

 




24 comments:

  1. Very pretty easel card. I love the paper. The scalloped edges are nice. [Bunny]

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  2. Hi Di, a very pretty birthday card for Mia, love the pretty papers you used, good luck with the pitch fork and all the little kids out on holidays... I try to avoid making city appointments when they're off down here... have a wonderful week... Megan

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  3. Its so pretty card!
    Happy birthday to Mia!
    Hugs

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  4. I am sure Mia will love it, it is so pretty Di

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  5. Happy happy Birthday to Mia, even if with delay! :) Your card for her is just delightful! So very sweet!!

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  6. Your card for Mia is so pretty Di...sounds like the 2 girls are opposites..how sweet. The weather was so bizarre...it was like the end of the world sky on Monday! I hope you get your little trip sorted. Hugs xxx

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  7. I'm sure Mia will love this ballet themed card but what a shame you had some problems with the ribbons on the die - you've done a grand job though and I'd not have guessed. Hope the weather is kind so that you can have your day out and thanks for the reminder about half term!!

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  8. Yes it certainly was an amazing sky on Monday . . . quite eerie. I liked the pink sun yesterday morning too!

    Loving this pretty ballerina easel card. Shame you're not keen on that particular die due to being hard to use cuz it looks lovely. Am sure Mia loved it too.

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  9. A beautiful card Di, I'm sure that Mia is going to love it.

    Re your question on what glue to use, I either use a dries clear PVA glue or my favourite is a good quality glue and seal like Mod Podge or Rangers own Glue N Seal. The glue I would use to make the chip board shapes is the dries clear and the other to stick everything down. Hope this helps?

    Sue xx

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  10. This is a really pretty card for Mia and I'm sure she will have adored the cute ballet shoes but such a shame the die was a bit difficult to work with. I have never bought any of Joanna Sheen's dies but they always look OK, but you can never tell until you come to use them what the cutting and embossed finish will be like. I love the background paper which goes beautifully too. x

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  11. Times flying much to soon for my liking. Our eldest grandson will be 10 in December too. Football mad and learning to play the drums.! Shame about the die being so fiddly to use. Have you tried using wax paper when you cut the die? Expect you have tried that little trick. The resulting card is lovely though. Any clanking of bottles behind the bike sheds and it won't take Parsnip to snitch who it is!!! We know the culprits. Hugs Mrs A.

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  12. The card is wonderful and she will love it. I don't know where the years go and they go so fast. I have trouble with dies sometimes too and have to "fiddle". It came out great though.

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  13. Beautiful card, Di. Well worth your time xoxo

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  14. Oooh so beautiful is Mia's card l love easel cards and the image (ballet shoes)you used is just perfect for a 10yr old! sending lots of love x

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  15. What a sweet birthday card for a 10 yr old! They all grow up much too quickly don't they? Do have fun on your getaway! Hopefully the weather will cooperate!

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  16. What a beautiful card for a 10 year old Di, I just love it!!! Love the beautiful paper you used and those slippers die-oh my they are so pretty. So sorry your trip is on ice for now. Our weather has been fickle too, but I am heading south for a week on Sunday and so looking forward to it! Hugs, Brenda

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  17. Great card Di, absolutely love that gorgeous paper !
    Hugs Kaz xx

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  18. Gorgeous girlie birthday card and I bet Mia loved it. A pity about that lovely die being so fiddly but maybe it would be easier to cut it in one piece and then colour the ribbons with pens (or colour just the slipper part if you use white card) xx

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  19. This is so sweet Di - I'm sure she loved it as any little girl would. So special to have a card especially made for you.

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  20. A really sweet card for a little girl. I'm sure Mia loved it. Barbxx

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  21. Fabulous card, no idea where the time goes though!

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