A Robin's Nest Red Flowers Birthday Card

Hello everyone, and welcome back.  I hope you got a chance to visit the ROBIN'S NEST/HELMAR HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS BLOG HOP this weekend, and just in case you did not, CLICK HERE to start hopping.  There is lots of inspiration, lots of prizes being given from each blog, and there is still time to enter to win.  Prize winners will be announced on 11 November.

Now, for my first Design Team Project this month, I want to share this really cute card I made using The Robin's Nest papers and embellishments.  I needed a birthday card for a friend, and I was so thrilled when I came up with this one.  

First, cut black card stock to 4-1/4" x 11" and fold it in half to make a card measuring 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".  Trim Robin's Nest Glitter Letters paper to 3-3/4" x 5" and punch two long sides with a corner and edger punch set.  I sponged Red Brick Distress Ink around the edges, then made a small slit in the paper, inside the letter "h",  before adhering to black card.  

A happy accident occurred when I used the portion of the Glitter Letters paper that contained a large "h", and since I wanted to make a "happy birthday" card, I used the "h" that was preprinted on the paper as the first letter of the sentiment.   I computer generated the rest of the words "appy birthday" onto another scrap of Robin's Nest Glitter Numbers paper, die cut the words using a small label die, and inserted the label into the tiny slit I made previously, just inside the "h", to finish off the sentiment.  How clever is that?  Sometimes I surprise myself.

I cut the top off of the apple die cut to make a vase.  I used my fingers to curve the apple to give it some dimension before adhering it to the card with foam dots.  

I die cut a branch from a scrap of the black card stock.  I made the red flowers by cutting the scalloped circles in half.  Next, fold the half circle in half, and in half again.  Pinch the bottom very tightly, giving it a bit of a twist,  and add a tacky or quick grab glue, like Helmar 450, and adhere to three of the branches.  These branches are very thin, so I left the piece on a craft mat until it dried.

When dry, I was able to trim up any excess red flower stems that extended past the black branches.  Now I was able to adhere the entire flower branch to the card, inside the vase, adding glue at various points along the flower stem.

Now, don't forget to finish off the inside, too.  To tie it all together, I like to use some of my paper scraps that I usually have left over to use inside the card.  Here, I used the coordinating Red Fat Plaid  paper for the inside.  It matches the Glitter Letters card stock perfectly, but is smooth and has no lettering. This trick is especially helpful when you have a black or very dark card stock as a base.  Whether you are stamping or handwriting your sentiment inside your card, adding lighter colored paper, even if it is printed, will make your task a lot easier.  I like to leave the inside blank until I know what sentiment I want to put inside, which always depends on the recipient.

(NOTE:  For this particular card, I used the section of paper containing the "h", to use for my "happy birthday" sentiment.  Choose various sections of this paper with particular letters to suit your theme.  It's fun and can be addictive while using the letters to come up with some great sayings.  For instance, I see a "b" for birthday, "a" for autumn, "g" for give thanks, "c" for Christmas, "f" for family or fun, "e" for expecting, "d" for daughter or dog, etc.  I could go on and on.  See what I mean, it's addictive.)

Can you see this as a Christmas card?  Just change the base card color and branches to a dark green, and those pretty little red flowers will look like Christmas roses.  Add some dew drops, and you will be all set.


Robin's Nest products used:

Glitter Letters card stock

Glitter Numbers card stock

Red Flowers

Apple die cuts

Thanks so much for stopping by, and  I hope you enjoyed my card project this week.  I will be back with another project right here on Monday, the 19th of November.  In the meantime, I hope you will check out The Robin's Nest online store to see what's new and exciting, and please visit the Chattering Robin's blog regularly for a constant source of inspiration. 

Have a very happy week!

Barbara