Eight is Enough

My first-born turns 8 next month, and I tell you, enough already with this growing up stuff! It's happening too fast. Not to mention, my birthday follows his, so his turning 8 just puts me that much closer to the big 4-o. And can I confess I'm having a really hard time with 40? But let's not dwell on that today. It's not about me ... yet. My day will come soon enough, and then I'll have a whole decade to dwell there. Oh yipee.

Hopefully, you would have guessed I made today's card for my son without me even telling you, because who in her right mind would put this much "stuff" on a card for any other 8-year-old?! It's a little wacky isn't it ... the card, I mean? Not exactly my normal style, but I *think* I like it. It's one of those I keep looking at trying to decide. It's so different. I'll have to put it away until late August and then look at it with a fresh pair of eyes. I'm really curious to hear what you think!

The layout comes from Jen's Sketch for You to Try. Check it out at i{heart}2stamp, along with Jen's sample and guest designer Jessie Rone's sample. Then remember to visit Amy, Carole, Shannan, and Susan to see what they've put together. I hope you'll play along this week! If you upload to SCS, remember to add keyword SFYTT.

This is also my sample for this week's new challenge from Our Creative Corner, which is to do some kind of dry embossing on your project. What a perfect challenge for me! After all, do more than two or three days ever pass before I'm reaching for my Swiss Dots cuttlebug folder? Head over to Our Creative Corner for all the details on how to play, and to see samples by the rest of the OCC team: Cindy Haffner, Dawn Easton, Denise Marzec, Jennifer Meyer, Laurie Schmidlin, and Lynda Benden.

A couple notes about the card: The chipboard word "wish" came from my stash. It's not marked in any way, so I have no idea who the manufacturer is. It came in the natural chipboard color, so I first painted it white, then smooshed Old Olive craft ink onto it (a couple of coats), then painted it with Crystal Effecs for a nice lacquered look. While the CE was still wet, I sprinkled some Dazzling Diamonds onto the star only. The chipboard number 8 is from Cherry Arte. It came white already, so I didn't have to do anything to it except string it to the hemp. The balloons and a portion of the sentiment all come from Stampin' Up's Big Bold Birthday. I trimmed out the balloons, coated them with crystal effects, and tied some white embroidery floss onto them. The dry embossing is done with the Swiss Dots cuttlebug folder, and the designer papers are from Basic Grey's Cupcake collection.

Hope you have a truly fabulous weekend. Please say a quick prayer for safe travel back home for us today - thanks!



Stamps: Big Bold Birthday (SU!)
Paper: Whisper White, Brocade Blue, Real Red, Old Olive (SU!); Cupcake collection (Basic Grey)
Ink: Real Red, Brocade Blue, Old Olive classic, and Old Olive craft (SU!)
Accessories: white acrylic paint, crystal efects, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, 3/4" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, large star punch, Swiss Dots cuttlebug folder, white embroidery floss, natural hemp, Real Red eyelets, spiral punch, silver brads, paper piercer, corner rounder