Sewn Together Birthday Card & Friday Freebie

SPONSOR FOR CHALLENGE #1...JAN 15 - 21

TERRI OLSEN......OWNER

I started my business in 1993 to give me something to do. I had worked all my life and recently quit to be a stay at home mom to my new baby. I've always been interested in paper products and I didn't like paying full price for some of the things I wanted. So I started my business. I like to pass my savings on to others. I've made some really good friends over the years. I've always been a small business I only advertise word of mouth. Over the years I've kept as busy as I wanted to be. It has been very interesting to see the hobby industry change over the years. I had a "scrapbook" store in my basement before Las Vegas knew what a scrapbook store was. I've dealt with Provo Craft the entire 17 years I've been in business and that has been fun, to watch them change!! The Cricut Messageboard has allowed me to expand my business but still do it "word of mouth". That baby is almost 17 (March) and will be graduating HS in 2011, I will be ready to be busier at that time! She uses my supplies more then I do, I have decided I'm a collector of everything. I have more fun selling and helping others then I do creating. Maybe someday, when times are slower or I'm not being a "Taxi Mom" I can create. Until then, I collect! Right now I have some of the new release Cricut Cartridges for $38 and getting ready to go to Winter CHA to check out some awesome items, including the new releases of Nestabilities! Check out my blog for all my items that I sell and for more information!! http://stampsalive.blogspot.com Prize to be given -- CUTTLEBUGS COMBO FOLDER...DAMASK....$15 value

I have the Damask Cuttlebug folder so I decided to make a card with today's Friday Freebie and that folder.
I used DCWV cardstock and used the Damask folder to emboss the pattern onto the card for my background. Then I used sandpaper to distress the design and make it show up better. Next I colored the heart lock/key with my colored pencils then trimmed it down. I used six-strand embroidery floss to sew the zig-zag on the golden orange card stock strip then stuck it down. I printed the phrase "You hold the key to my heart", cut it into a circle, matted it on black, then used my Accent Essentials glossy to make it shinny (I used too much - it's like an extra thick lumpy epoxy sticker).

There are several challenges that I'm submitting my card to:

Mojo Mondy: Sketch 121
Scrapmaster's Paradise color combo: So Saffron (yellow), Very Vanilla (white), & Orange
Creative Inspiration: Distressing
Creative Card Crew: Distressing
Just Us Girls: Stitching
Digital Tuesday: Embossing
ABC Challenge: Layering
In Style Stamps: Valentine's day card
Charisma Card Challenge: Anything New (I think the new image qualifies)
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I needed a Birthday card for my Father in-Law, and since his favorite color is green, I chose to color a green froggy. I colored the frog Avacado green with my Prisma markers. Then I cut him out and glued him onto a circle of blue water. I made the blue by testing out my "new" (slightly used) watercolor crayons that I bought from my friend Lisa who's been purging her craft room (I can't do that - even though I should) by scribbling a couple shades of blue then running a wet finger over the scribbles to smooth it out then cut a circle out. To create my stripes on the card's background, I used my Heidi Swapp ribbon tape. The last thing I did was to take a traditional rubber stamp and use a rainbow pad to stamp CELEBRATE.

Challenges that I'm entering this card in:
All Sorts Challenge: Sketch
2 Red Bananas: Think Round
The Pink Elephant: Birthday
Crazy 4 Challenges: Birthday
PollyCraft Challenge: Winter birthday
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle: Celebrations

Hope you like my card and be sure to join us over at the new Sewn Together Challenge Blog at http://sewmanychallenges.com. Here you can pick up the new Friday Freebies, the new challenges, and other activities. We are looking for more players and followers for our new blog: SewManyChallenges.com - once we reach 200 followers, there will be a coupon code on the challenge blog for 45% off your total purchase and once we get at least 50 people join our challenge,I will put another code for 20% off - Sew, make sure to become a follower and join our challenge that starts today- AND tell your friends so they can have some fun too. Be sure to also check out the store http://shop.sewmanycards.com