Fran's 2025 Birthday Card

 I'm so delighted that I've completed all of the hand drawn

birthday cards for my friends this year!

It was quite daunting for me,

as I'm not a drawing artist,

but challenged myself anyway using internet images for guidance.

Fran's most favorite flower is the hibiscus.

She said that the hibiscus is the national flower of

Trinidad and Tobago where she is from!

Although her favorite color is red,

she also loves pinks and greens together.

After my first coloring attempt in red,

I opted to go with rosy pink instead.

These are the colors I chose to use for this card.

The flower name is printed in Lucida Handwriting font

and is placed with foam adhesive for a raised dimension.

Just below the name are pretty glitter enamel dots in a rose color.

The upper left corner of the card is decorated with 

glossy enamel dots in a lovely green.

The inside sentiment is printed on 

a linen textured light green cardstock

 in Lucida Handwriting font

and the corners are punched.

Thanks for viewing Fran's card.

Hope you all have a very blessed day,

Lisa >^..^<

Products used:

Recollections Cardstock

Recollections cardstock
"South Beach" collection

DCWV Neutrals Textured Cardstock
(light green)

Strathmore Colored Pencil Paper

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils 150 color set

Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils 120 color set

Faber-Castell Mini Soft Pastels - 72 color set

Prismacolor Colorless Blending Pencil

Sakura Electric Eraser

Grumbacher Final Fixative

Simple Stories Glitter & Glossy Enamel Dots

Glitter Enamel Dots
"Sunny Days"

Glossy Enamel Dots
"Happy Travels"

Martha Stewart Corner Punch

"Lace Flowers"

Tools:

Fiskars 12" SureCut Deluxe 
Paper Trimmer

Martha Stewart Scoring Board

Adhesives:

Scor-Tape

SB.com 1/4" Foam Adhesive Tape

Nuvo Craft Glue

Diana's 2025 Birthday Card

 A new year means new birthday cards for my friends!

This year I decided to do something that is extremely hard 

and very uncomfortable for me....

and that's freehand DRAW!

I asked each of my friends what their favorite flower(s) is and their favorite color(s).

Each card that I'm making is a true accomplishment for me.

Being that this is so very hard for me and takes me so many tries

to get it right, I'm just going to say that I'm proud of myself 

with each card I've completed.

My sweet friend, Diana, is a retired landscape artist

and her answer to me was PERFECT!

She said she loves ALL flowers!

Diana even loves weeds that have a flower.

Her favorite color is purple.

So, I chose to draw her a Daylily.

I researched the internet for examples of flowers.

From that, I free hand drew the flower.

Sometimes even using a combination of examples to achieve the look I wanted.

Each is drawn on a 4" x 6" piece of colored pencil paper

and then placed on a 5" x 7" cardstock card.

I wanted to share with my friends my love of adult coloring.

=============================================

THIS IS THE PROCESS I DESIGNED FOR MYSELF:

I drew (and erased A LOT!) in pencil on pencil color paper.

Once I reached 'satisfaction' of my drawing, 

I scanned it into my computer; saving it as a jpeg.

From there, I opened my drawing in Photoshop.

When erasing my penciled drawing, it leaves behind marks.

So, I was able to eliminate those 'extra' marks in Photoshop.

Once I had the drawing close to 'perfection', I re-saved it.

I then printed the final saved piece onto a 4" x 6" colored pencil paper, 

to which I used a black ultra-fine Sharpie to outline my drawing.

I did scan this completion for future needs.

That's why you see very dark outlines on the drawing.

=============================================

I chose Lilac and Violet for the petals;

Yellow Chartreuse for the stamen;

Golden Rod for the pollen tips;

Olive Green & Prussian Green for the stem & leaves.

Beautiful purple bling decorates two opposite corners of the card.

Not only do I have 'hard drawn' prominent lines in the flower,

but I also colored lines on each petal to try to give it some life-like texture.

I also added the name of the flower in a matching color on white cardstock 

and adhered it with foam tape for a little dimension.

(just in case they can't identify the flower from my drawing - LOL!)

I colored the background with soft pastel chalk in the color named 

"Pink Madder Lake".

I applied this with a wedge make up sponge.

I love how it turned out!

Thanks so much for visiting and have a blessed day!

Lisa >^..^<

Products used:

DCWV Textured Neutrals Stack - for main card

Strathmore 400 Series Colored Pencil Paper 

Prismacolor Premier 150-Colored Pencils

Faber-Castell mini 72-Soft Pastels

Recollections Rhinestone Stickers

Grumbacher Final Fixative

Tools

Fiskars 12" SureCut 
Deluxe Paper Trimmer

Martha Stewart Scoring Board

Adhesives

Scor-Tape

Elmer's Foam Adhesive Tape

Carmel's 2024 Birthday Card

 As many of you already know, 

Carmel is my very best friend.

We've been BFF's for 49 years now!  WOW!

Our bond is very strong and always will be.

Carmel is a very conservative, yet elegant & classy woman,

so I chose to make her card out of paper that reflected her.

Blue Fern Studios "Bird Waltz" had a page with roses that reminded me of her.

Like the previous birthday cards I've made for my friends,

 Carmel's card also has the Happy Birthday shaker.

I chose to use Crimson colored microbeads with gold sequin stars.

Her favorite color is red.

I tried to compliment the beautiful print on the paper with coordinating elements.

A small piece of Blue Fern Studios chipboard,

heat embossed in a pretty olive-gold color,

as well as snippets of lace

add interest with the flowers.

The floral arrangement has similar colors found in the paper.

See what I mean?

A gorgeous butterfly by ReneaBouquets is an astounding match for this paper!

Check out the rose coloring in this beauty!

Pretty bling made nice corners and

a Rub-On from the 49 and Market ARToptions Plum Grove collection

couldn't have been more perfect of what I want to say to Carmel, 

who truly is a gift in my life.

Now for the back of the card.

I didn't do much decorating because of the long printed personal note.

I added a couple of rub-on butterflies that I 

found in the 49 and Market Spectrum Gardenia collection.

I made box-in-box envelopes to house this 6" x 8" card

that's thick due to the shaker dome & the flowers.

In the same Bird Waltz paper collection was a really pretty page 

filled with the beautiful rose print that I chose for the larger envelope.

I found the perfect rose-red colored cardstock in my stash 

to use for the smaller envelope that fits inside the larger one.

Here are the fronts of the envelopes & card:

And the backs of both:

Thanks so much for visiting and viewing Carmel's card.

Have a wonderful & blessed day!

Lisa >^..^<

Products used:

Blue Fern Studios - Bird Waltz paper Collection

"Classical Damask"
(cut to 6" x 8" size)

Blue Fern Studios - Chipboard

Floral Lattice Bits

Lindy's Gang Embossing Powder

Oakleaf Olive Gold
(heat embossed the chipboard)

ReneaBouquets - Butterfly

Tiny Treasures
"Rose Quartz"

49 and Market - Rub-Ons

ARToptions Plum Grove collection
(the words: You are a Gift)

Spectrum Gardenia collection
Garden Botanical
(red butterflies)

Recollections - Bling on a Roll

Amber rhinestones & LeCreme pearls
(for the corners)

Wild Orchid Crafts (no longer in business) - Flowers

30mm 2-tone Wild Roses
(Deep Red)

10mm & 20mm Coral Red Open Roses

15mm Dusty Pink Open Roses

MINI Green Sweethearts

2-tone Lt. Burgundy Cherry Blossoms

Tattered Lace Dies - Ornate Leaves

===================================================

Shaker items:

Scrapbook.com Metal Nested Circles Die

to cut out the "Happy Birthday" words

Tim Holtz - Dimensional Clear Dome

for the automatic shaker!

Recollections - Adhesive Rhinestones in Amber color

(no photo available)

*used in two sizes to surround the shaker dome

Recollections - Microbeads in Crimson color

(no photo available)

*shaker mix

28 Lilac Lane - Sequin Mix

"Golden Opportunity"
(used only the gold stars)

===================================================

Envelopes:

Blue Fern Studios - Bird Waltz paper collection

"Scripted Melody"
for the larger envelope

DCWV - The Gilded Orchard

for the smaller envelope

===================================================

Inks

watermark stamp
(used in heat embossing)

Tim Holtz Distress Ink
"Fired Brick"
(edge inking)

Tools

Fiskars 12" SureCut Paper Trimmer

Martha Stewart Scoring Board

Sizzix Big Shot Machine

Sizzix Magnetic Platform

Basic Grey Rub-On Roller Tool

The Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby)
Embossing Heat Tool

Adhesives

Martha Stewart Hot Glue Gun

Score Tape

Nuvo Glue

Recollections
Foam Adhesive Circles