Wednesday 5 November 2014

High flying Warren the Wabbit

Today is the 6th Birthday of a little neighbour of ours and up until children are eight or so ( sometimes beyond that) I do like to incorporate their name onto their Birthday cards. With this card I started out with the idea for how to do the name as a banner and then rummaged round to find stuff to suit. This was the result:
I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card blank

- SU 'Real Red' card stock topped with a sheet of 'clouds' paper from a paper stack called 'Let's Fly Away', free with Quick Cards Made Easy magazine in 2012

- the bunny in the basket started out as a Craftwork Cards round topper featuring Warren the Rabbit, ready to colour as you choose. I chose badly, the turquoise I used on part of the balloon was a horrible clash with the cloudy background paper and for a minute or two I thought all was lost. By then I'd already fussy cut round the image anyhow, it took quite a while to get round the ropes holding the basket and would have been such a waste of time and effort! But, I already had a snippet of dotty patterned paper (from the My Mind's Eye 'Quilting Bee' paper pad) ready for the banner and realised it could save the day. All I did was to die cut a circle (using the Tonic circular die set I recently raved about) just slightly larger than the balloon, gently snip around part of Warren's ear, then glue the dotty circle over balloon wreck leaving Warren's ear to overlap the front :)

- used a Memory Box 'Classic Numbers' die to die cut the number 6 and a round die for the red circle to stick it onto then adhered the balloon onto the card with thin sticky pads

- the trailing banner 'tail' was fun to make - first punched banners from the dotty paper using SU's 'Banner' punch. Then stamped the letters onto white card using stamps from a See-D's (NBUS, shame on me) alphabet set and SU 'Real Red' ink pad, punched them out using the super useful SU Itty Bitty round punch and stuck them onto the banners. I'd already  tied a length of yellow and white bakers twine to the balloon so all that was needed was to add thin sticky pads to the back of each banner and place them evenly along the twine

- the sentiment was stamped onto a snippet of white card, using SU's 'Real Red' and an Inca 'Dot Birthday' stamp which is especially good for kids cards. Then to cut the cloud shape using using MFT 'Cloud Trio' - the largest cloud in the set I used a useful trick to correctly position the cloud over the already stamped sentiment. All you do is to die cut yourself a template using the die you want to use and some spare card (paper is too thin for the next step I reckon). Place the cloud shaped aperture which is left in the spare piece of card you just die cut over the sentiment exactly where you want it to sit and stick in place using removable tape at the edge, not at the aperture though, Then, take the die, sit it face down and gently wiggle it into the die cut shape - that's why I reckon you need to use card and not paper for your template as it's easier to feel the die sort of drop into place. Tape the die to the card to stop it from moving, again use removable tape. Run the die and both layers of card through the die cutting machine and hey presto, one perfectly positioned die cut sentiment - if all of the above drivel made any sense to you of course :) 

The Memory Box number dies are new goodies, the lovely Sarn has been kindly keeping me stocked up with Olivia numbers (and letters) but I thought it was time I coughed up and bought my own number dies for a start. I don't like the Britannia Letter dies I already have (waaaay too fussy for my taste) so might even order the Memory Box letters next :) Or put them on my 'Santa, I've been a good girl' letter - tee, hee.

Di
x

26 comments:

  1. Oh I did enjoy this post! First, a darling card, so cute & how clever to personalize it for your young friend. It will be super special for him with his name & milestone age on it. I love the bright colors, perfect for any age, but especially a 6 yr old. Then I loved reading about your woes & how you fixed everything. Loved Warren's dimensional ear. Very clever, Miz Pixie. BUt then you always are! That's a cute Wabbit. I wike wabbits..but prefer the cartoon kind such as Warren, rather than wabbits who eat foliage. TFS & Big Hugs

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  2. Warren makes a great card for a 6 year old and the technique for getting your sentiment in the right place is very useful and clever. I love the cloud backing paper and the cute banner with the little boy's name on. Glad you managed to get the card back on track, sounds like a lot of work but worth it! x

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  3. This is another cute one! I love how you personalized it.

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  4. What a personalized Birthday card for your younger friend!!!
    I love the backing paper and the tail added to the banner with his name on it!!!

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  5. Such a cute card, Di! Love how you incorporated the name!

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  6. Gorgeously cute card Di and I love the background and the vibrant colours. Hugs Veerle xx

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  7. Cute ... Love the bunting :-) xx

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  8. We'll saved! Learnt such a lot from this balloon flight, Tfs xxx

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  9. I love this card - what a brilliant idea for adding a name! Great way to get the sentiment in the cloud shape too. I had to read the instructions through twice, but I think I've got it! LOL! I've got that paper somewhere and also the banner punch, so I think I might just have to lift this one...... xx

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  10. A great card and I'm sure Josh will love it. I've still got a few sheets of the cloud paper - was it really a freebie two years ago - how time flies!
    Kath x

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  11. I'm sure Josh will just love this card - I'd forgotten all about Warren the rabbit he is so cute. Clever way you 'rescued' the balloon with dotty paper.

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  12. Just love this Di! So so sweet and fun! Perfect for a 6th birthday! Love the title too teehee
    Lucy x

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  13. Good grief . . . a lot of work went into that card Di. I'm sure it sounded simpler when you started!!!

    Nice touch to add the child's name to the card and sure to be appreciated.

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  14. Oooooh how lovely is this Josh will be very happy with this as any child would be it truly is stunning x

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  15. What a brilliant save Di and I love the way the little ear overlaps the balloon! Some top tips here too - thank you :) Vicky x

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  16. Brilliant card, just love it and very cleverly put together.

    Kath x

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  17. Hi Di,
    wonderful, wonderful, childs card.
    It's just perfect of any child, and so bright and cheerfully designed.
    I love every bit of it.
    You sure do have a wonderful way with words.
    I just wish I could say such lovely things when I post.
    Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.

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  18. A super personalised card, I love the cloud paper and the name banner.
    Jean x

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  19. This is so cute and so delightfully personalized!

    I shall reread the directions after a wink of sleep. Slept overnight at the grandkids and the kitten was quite delighted to have someone new to torture with lack of sleep. The den where they have the hideabed has an open pass through window to the main hallway. I am debating buying them shutters for Xmas! teehee

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  20. Gorgeous and adorable card.
    luv
    Debby

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  21. And here's me thinking his name was going to be Warren!! Lovely fun card. Luv the wabbit.
    Hugs Mrs A.

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  22. I love this card, Di, and you sure saved the day with the dotty paper :) I must admit to avoiding alpha and number dies - I don't seem to get on with them - but it is nice when you can personalise a little one's card. Hugs, Elizabeth xx

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  23. This card is just precious, and I'm so going to have to "borrow" your idea of adding a recipient's name to a banner! Love the whole card!

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  24. Lovely work Diane, love how you have done the banner.
    hugs Jacee
    Simply Paper Card Design

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  25. Oh this is so darn cute, Di. I bet Josh will love to see his name on the banner.
    Caroline xxx

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  26. Awww, this is such a darling card Di! I love the papers you used on this one and of course the adorable stamps and dies. It just doesn't get any cutter than this one! Hugs, Brenda

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