Seize The Birthday - Geometric + Word Die/s

Hello!  Nance is hosting our latest challenge at Seize The Birthday, and she's asking us to use geometric designs and word dies.

Or, if this doesn’t float your boat, you can play along with any birthday-themed creation with our Anything Goes theme.

I used a Tim Holtz embossing folder which I grunged up using distress paints, and a die from Seth Apter.  Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for more inspiration from the design team and our Surprise Party Guests, and join in the fun!

Seize The Birthday - Double Frame

Hello!  For our first October challenge at Seize The Birthday, Nancy has chosen Double Frame.

I've used a mix of designers' products - the bird and background stamps are Tim Holtz, the die-cut frames are The Stamp Market, the leaf spray is Altenew, and I can't remember whose is the happy die.

If you don't want to include a double frame in your card, you can still play along with any birthday creation in our Anything Goes theme.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the team and our surprise party guests, and join in the fun.

Size The Birthday - Use Fall Colours

Hello, we're back for a new challenge at Seize The Birthday, and this week Linda wants us to use fall colours.

But if you're not ready for fall or autumn yet, or you have something else in mind, you can always play along with our Anything Goes theme.

I've used an image from Stampingbella, a sentiment from Gina K, some rub-ons from Aall and Create, and autumn colours from Zig.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from our Surprise Party Guest Stacey, and from the rest of the DT, and join in the fun!

Seize The Birthday - Add A Sentiment Strip

Time for a new challenge at Seize The Birthday, and this time we're welcoming Jules back after relocating to be nearer family.  As our hostess, she's chosen 'Add a Sentiment Strip' for the topping.

If you're not inclined to use a sentiment strip, you can still play along with your birthday-themed project in our Anything Goes category.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the Design Team, and from our recent winner Chris and our newest Surprise Party Guest Stacey who will be partying with us till the end of the year, and play along with us.

Seize The Birthday - No stamping, Dies Only

 Hello!  JoAnn is our host for this week's Seize The Birthday, and she's chosen No Stamping, Dies Only.

I went for a Happy Birthday die by MFT and used metallic patterned paper on a purple linen panel, matted onto a lilac linen base card.  Here's a photo with the copper metallic catching the light.

So come and join us in the Seize The Birthday gallery with your dies-only birthday creation.  Or if dies aren't your thing, you could always play along with our Anything Goes theme.

See you in the gallery!

Seize The Birthday - Funny/Pun-y

 Hello!  Our new challenge for you at Seize The Birthday is Funny/Pun-y, chosen by Jenny.

Or if you'd rather, you can play along with any birthday project in our Anything Goes category.

I went all-out colourful with these fun stamps from PaperArtsy.  I stamped, coloured and cut all the images and created a colourful stencil background (The Crafter's Workshop).  The pun-y sentiment is part of the PaperArtsy set, the Happy Birthday is by - I can't remember.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the team, and our surprise party guests, and join in the funny, pun-y fun!

Seize The Birthday - Square card + non-white base

Hello!  We've got a new challenge for you at Seize The Birthday - make a square card with a non-white base, chosen by Glenda.

 

Or if square cards aren't your thing, you can still play along with our Anything Goes theme.

For my card, I started off with a mop--up piece, which looked like a couple of large flowers in a garden

and I thought it would go perfectly with the new-to-me Tim Holtz French Garden CMS487 set.  I wasn't actually making this as a square card at this point, but decided it would work for this challenge, so I cropped it, matted it with dark pink and layered onto a pale pink card base.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the team and from our surprise party guests, and join the party!

Seize The Birthday - Use One Or More Numbers

Hello!  We've got a new challenge for you at Seize The Birthday, chosen by Cathy - One Or More Numbers.

But if you don't want to include numbers, you can still play along with our Anything Goes theme.

Rather than choose a big focal number, I took a leaf out of Ashwini's book after seeing her card, and went for unobtrusive numbers.  The stamps, stencils and die are all Tim Holtz.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some fabulous inspiration from the team, and from our Surprise Party Guests, Lynda and Fran, and join in the fun!

Seize The Birthday - Use Blue, Pink and Yellow

Hello!  Time for a new challenge at Seize The Birthday, and Barbara has chosen Blue, Pink and Yellow.

Or, if they're not your colours, you can always play along with our Anything Goes theme.

I've used a Tim Holtz floral spray, watercoloured with Distress Inks, and added a stamped and die-cut sentiment from The Stamp Market.

Pop on over to the Seize The birthday blog for more fabulous inspiration from the team and our Surprise Party Guest, Kathy, and play along with us.

Seize The Birthday - Vellum or Acetate

Hello!  We've got a new challenge for you at Seize The Birthday - Use Vellum or Acetate Sheets, chosen by Ashwini.

If that's not your thing, you can still play along with our Anything Goes theme.

I used a sheet of patterned vellum that I found in my stash, and paired it with a Tim Holtz die cut flower.  The sentiment is from The Stamp Market.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for more fabulous inspiration from the design team, and from our guest designers, Kathy and Kerry, and add your card to the gallery!

Seize The Birthday - Sweet Treats

Hello!  It's my turn to host Seize The Birthday, and I've chosen Sweet Treats.

I chose this scrumptious gateau by AALL and Create, made my mouth water just colouring it :)

I've used Tim Holtz Distress Spritz on the background.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog to see what mouthwatering treats the design team and our Surprise Party Guests have cooked up, and play along with us.  If you don't want to follow my theme, you can still play along with our Anything Goes challenge.

See you in the gallery!

Seize The Birthday - Feature An Animal

We've got a new challenge for you at Seize The Birthday.  Nance is hosting, and she's asking us to Feature an Animal (must be the focal point).

These two come as a pair, The Odd Couple, from The Card Hut, so I had to feature both of them ;).  The stamps were disappointing, because the cover image was much finer than the actual stamps, but I still like the fun images.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more animals from the design team and our surprise party guests.  If you don't want to feature animals, you can still play along with our Anything Goes theme.

See you in the gallery!

Seize The Birthday - Primarily Pink

Hello!  Our latest challenge is up at Seize The Birthday.  Nancy is our host and she's chosen Primarily Pink as her theme.

I used Tim Holtz Floral Trims for this one layer card, adding various shades of pink to the petals.  The sentiment is a mixture of stamps.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog to see what the rest of the design team and our Surprise Party Guests have created, and join in the fun.  If you don't to follow this theme, you can still play along with our Anything Goes theme.

Hope to see you in the gallery!

Seize The Birthday - Make A Spring Garden

Hello!  Our latest challenge is up on the Seize The Birthday blog.  Linda is hosting, and she's challenging us to Make A Spring Garden.

I went a bit impressionist with this one, because I had a mop-up panel that was calling to me.

All I could see were flowers and leaves.  I used the Altenew Sketchy floral oversized stamp, and to be honest, it looked a complete mess, because there was no depth.  So I added shading around the flowers and leaves with coloured pencils, and kept going till I got more definition around the edges.

You can see where I used it in a similar way to make this card.  I do love it when I can make use of a mop-up panel!

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog to see what sort of spring garden the rest of the design team and our Surprise Party Guests have created, and join in the fun.  You can always play along with our Anything Goes theme if you prefer.

See you in the gallery!

Seize The Birthday - Add A Tag

Hello!  We've got a new challenge for you at Seize The Birthday.  Jules is hosting, and she wants us to Add a Tag.  Simples!

I got the idea for a tiny tag from a card I saw on Pinterest, and I didn't save it, so I can't credit it.  Basically it was a vase of tulips with a similar shaped tag.  My image is all one stamp by Stampendous, and I've watercoloured it with Distress Inks.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous cards with tags from the rest of the design team and our Surprise Party Guests, and join in the fun.  If you prefer, you can just play along with our Anything Goes theme.

Hope to see you in the gallery!

Seize The Birthday - Use Green As Your Main Colour

Hello!  We've got a new challenge for you at Seize The Birthday, chosen by JoAnn, who wants us to use green as our main colour.

I've got a small collection of Lavinia Stamps so I thought I'd use them to make this sweet card.  Minni and Moo, the two little mieces (I love those mieces to pieces!), come as a pair.  The leaves are also from Lavinia.  The sentiments are from Altenew.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the design team and our surprise party guests, and join in the fun.

Seize The Birthday - Anything With Wings

Hello!  Our latest challenge is up on the Seize The Birthday blog, it's Anything With Wings, chosen by Jenny.

I've been needing an excuse to use this Sizzix Vault Floral Wreath set by Tim Holtz, along with the ladybird from the Funky Insets.  The brickwork is also a Tim Holtz embossing folder.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog to see what the rest of the team and our Surprise Party Guests have created, and play along with us.  If wings aren't your thing, you can play along with our Anything Goes theme.  Hope to see you in the gallery!