Smile!

Today’s card, like the one I posted yesterday, uses the layout from CAS(E) This Sketch. It’s also a response to Cute Card Thursday‘s hobbies theme, the masculine themes from CASology, Craft Rocket Challenge and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday, and Craftyhazelnut’s Patterned Paper challenge for good measure.

I started by deciding on the hobby I wanted to do. I went for photography as it’s a hobby I enjoy myself. Also because I’m working with a limited selection of stamps, and the camera is one I have that seemed suitable and that I haven’t used previously. This particular stamp comes from the My Mind’s Eye My Girl stamp set.

I decided to stamp the camera onto silver paper because that way I wouldn’t need to colour it! I fussy cut the camera once stamped and set it aside whilst I worked out my next step.

For the panel I wanted to use a patterned paper. As the camera is somewhat retro looking I decided to go for a patterned paper that also has a retro feel. I actually have a few in my stash, but settled on the one you can see because I felt it looked it bit like old wallpaper and I liked how it looked with the camera.

I knew I wanted the banner to hold the sentiment, as the sketch indicates. I wasn’t sure what sentiment to use though as I didn’t have anything ready built that would work. I considered “wishing you a snappy birthday” which I really liked as an idea but was too long to fit onto the banner. In the end I went with the much simpler “smile!” which I put together with my Jessie’s ABCs stamps from Lawn Fawn. I stamped the sentiment onto a strip of kraft type paper which I had premeasured and cut to size.

Next I decided I wanted a mat for the main panel. I went for a simple black as it seemed the most appropriate colour of the options available to me. I did consider doing the mat in kraft too but opted not to as it would lack contrast with the banner.

Finally it was a simple case of assembly. Using my tape runner I adhered the ‘wallpaper’ panel to the black mat and then that to the white card base. I also used it for adhering the camera to the banner. I then mounted the banner on foam tape (which was just narrow enough to fit behind it!) to give it a bit of volume and adhered that to the front of the card.

I’m surprised by how happy I am with how this turned out. When I first received the patterned paper I used I honestly never expected to find a use for it as I didn’t like the look of it very much. Well, this card showed me! I think the paper works really well here. I feel like this would be a great card to give to a photography-loving man for a birthday (perhaps with snappy birthday stamped inside) or even as a just-because card. I can see it working as a card for a woman too, despite the lack of femininity. Not all women want pink, flowers and sparkles all the time, after all!