Turning 8

I have had SO much fun preparing this post! I normally do not create blog posts that are too long but be prepared I am oversharing today.  The Dream Theme design team are sharing ideas for children, and this was perfectly timed as my youngest niece is turning 8 next month! I have two nieces, they are my everything!  They both are sweethearts and love cardmaking almost as much as me and their Grandma.  We always make a big deal of their birthdays, well maybe I am the one that makes a big deal of all the birthdays in my family; funny enough I do not care that much for my own!

The girls always have a birthday family dinner, they get to select the cuisine that will be served. The birthday girl, Ebony, has requested Mexican; I should say mild Mexican with no onions. With that as inspiration, I have tried to make her card a fiesta feeling!  I will start by sharing the envelope that I made to house her card. The stamp I have used inside the oval is from a Christmas stamp set from the Holiday Catalogue called Merry Little Labels and I covered over the line in the stamp that said: “From the North Pole” with “To Ebony Rose” that I printed from my computer. I can not take credit for the clever idea, my beautiful friend Renee show me HERE.

It feels like a party on the front of this card and she is only to love the bright colours that feature in the Naturally Eclectic Designer Series Paper DSP, of Soft Sky, Night of Navy, Bermuda Bay and Lemon Lime Twist. The eight was created using Large Numbers Framelits Dies & Number Of Years stamp set. The number, balloons and star have been stamped in VersaMark and clear embossed, the strings coming off the balloons are really thin strips of cardstock.

I shared Renee’s clever idea above but I had one also! I needed a TH for my eight so I cut it from the Happy Birthday Thinlits Die.

Give the gift of currency, included in the card and slip in a tag with a birthday message. I have used the Pocketful Of Sunshine Photopolymer Bundle and white embossed on Night of Navy paper from the Naturally Eclectic DSP. I added the little LOVE tab by using Thoughtful Banners we are a family that always tell each other we love each other all the time, Ebony knows that when I say in a serious tone  “come here” that I want to cover her in kisses and say I love you!  She giggles before she reaching me and quickly say “you love me”.

Since Ebony has been four she has received a Birthday Badge, the first year her mum bought a horrible store bought badge that I think said “it’s my birthday” being the crafty Aunty that I am the next year I made a very cute five to match her Frozen party, and below you can see her sweet little face plus more of my handy work.

The tradition continues, I have made her a birthday badge to match her card.  I have noticed they are growing larger each year, I guess she is growing also.  I need to remember to take a photo this year, I never took one when she was five and I kick myself!

Just in case you are interested, I have added a photo of the back. I attach a little ribbon and a safety pin, the ribbon allows the badge to move around a little more than if the pin is attached directly to the back.

That is it, at the end of the post is my very long materials list. Now it is time to hop over to New Zealand and visit with my friend Patrice Halliday-Larsen.

1. Teneale Williams (Australia)
2. Patrice Halliday-Larsen (New Zealand)
3. Amy Koenders (USA)
4. Renate Ecklmayr (Austria)
5. Jennifer Pauli (Germany)
6. Krista Driessen (Netherlands)
7. Sarah Lancaster (France)

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