Don't Grow Up Too Quickly

A co-worker asked me to make a 1st Birthday card for her daughter Alanna who LOVES the beach - and she supplied me with this photo of her to use on the card.

I went to the internet to get some beach inspiration and found this photo that I thought would work well as a background.

Here is the card I created -  It's actually a little stand up frame that I made using Eileen Hull's Mailable Frame die from Sizzix.

Here's how I created this Birthday Frame Card.  I die cut the frame out of Little Sizzles Matboard from Sizzix.  Then I laid the beach photo over the die in the frame opening area so I could use a piece of the photo on the frame as well as the inside.  I fussy cut Alanna's photo as well as her beach toys.

Since the beach photo didn't cover the whole frame, I masked at the folds with some Post It Notes, sponged the frame and the inside of the frame with Distress Mermaid Lagoon.  Then I flicked water over the inking to make water spots to add to the watery feel of the card.

I added her name using Idea-ology Label Letters.  I stamped a sand dollar on a piece of white card stock using Distress Brushed Corduroy, stamped the sentiment over it in Archival Jet Black and sponged the edges with Distress Antique Linen.
 (The stamps are from a set called Gifts from the Sea from Gina K Designs - but it seems this set is no longer available - they have similar set here but it doesn't have this sentiment in it)
I adhered it to the frame with foam dots.  I stamped the 3 little seagulls in the sky.

I adhered the photo of Alanna and her beach toys with foam dots.  You can see how the frame stands up in the photo below - it can be folded right up and mailed in an envelope just like a regular card!

Here's a close up of the inside -  I glued the piece of the photo over the matboard piece, sponged the edges with Distress Mermaid Lagoon and adhered it on the inside of the frame being sure it matched the opening in the front.  I added Big Chat, Chit Chat and Small Talk/Occasions stickers for this sentiment.  I stamped the date of her birthday in the corner using some Karen Foster number stamps (no longer available)

My card design was inspired by the Featured Stamper Challenge over on Splitcoast today - I saw this card by Amy and the window on her card immediately made me think of using my frame die! 

The design part is often the most difficult when creating a special card - I had all the pieces but wasn't quite sure how to put them all together - so seeing Amy's card was SO helpful!

I'm also linking my card to:
Seize the Birthday

 

Stamps: Gifts From the Sea - Gina K Designs
Paper: Little Sizzles White Matboard - Sizzix

Ink: Archival Jet Black, Ranger Distress Mermaid Lagoon, Brushed Corduroy, Antique Linen
Accessories: Mailable frame Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, beach photo from internet, baby photo, water for flicking, Idea-ology Label Letters, Big Chat, Chit Chat, Small Talk/Occasions, foam dots.