Wednesday 27 June 2012

What goes up?

My friend just turned 40 and I needed to make a special birthday card for him.  He loves cycling so I knew exactly what to make - I got this great bike embelishment a while ago and have been saving it for this very occassion.


I started with my new PTI zipper die which I extended to make a panel big enough to have my bike and sentiment on (tricky but doable)  I stamped the sentiment "What goes UP and never comes DOWN?" onto the zipper and the matching "pull here" arrow in red to match the bike onto the zipper front.  I cut a black mat slightly larger than the front and drew a soft line where I needed my other half of the sentiment to be revealed when the zipper is torn and I stamped and embossed in white "your age!   Happy Birthday!"  (See photo below - VERY poor quality as it was taken at the party on my mobile and I was a bit wobbly!  I think you get the gist though)


To finish the card I added a red mat, a strip of silver sequin material embossed with my favourite masculine embossing folder which looks like garage flooring and a black chevron die cut.  I made a 40 road sign (kanban stamp set) and covered it in glossy accents for shine and stuck this over the zipper end and mounted the bike as if it were riding along the zipper road...


I am entering the card into this forthnights here come the boys challenge which is to use metal on your card http://herecometheboysblogchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/challenge-30-metal-and-or-embossing.html

I also made him a banner for the party on my cricut (the banner and lettters are from the cindy loo cartridge) cut from echo park rainbow papers and black for the letters which I highlighted with a white gel pen to give a stitched detail effect.  Again - sorry for the crappy photo - we hung it over a window which meant getting the lighting right was impossible!



I had lots of requests for more bike cards recently and can't get hold of any more of these little bikes which is a real shame - if anyone sees them anywhere - do let me know!

9 comments:

  1. Love this! I'd love to get that die, but can't find anywhere to buy it in the UK and the US sites seem to be massively expensive - but maybe that's just me being a tight-ass!! M x

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  2. Tara this is fabulous just love the bike die

    Anne

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  3. I think this is absolutely awesome! The zip makes it really different, I hope he liked it :D
    CarysL x

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  4. Found your blog through Kirsty Wiseman. LOVE the bike card. My dad is a fanatical cyclist - where did you find that super embellishment? Like your work and I will def pop back. Noticed you are in Sheffield. I went to uni in sheffield! Lived in Sorby Hall for two years and then lived in Walkley. Great place to live - best years ever. Happy wednesday, jenx

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  5. Such a brilliant card, thank you for joining us at Here come the Boys challenge. Teresa xx

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  6. What a great card! LOVE the tear off--how did you do that?! Thanks for the suggestions about insomnia! I'm not too worried right now as I'm off work this summer (work for the local schools) but I will need to get back in control soon!!! :)

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  7. I love a bike image too Tara and your card is brilliant! You've probably seen the SU hostess bike set in the summer mini - you might think it's too feminine but if you use markers to colour it and miss out the basket, it makes a great masculine bike too! Vicky x

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  8. The bike embellie is so cute..... you could always fashion your own with wire!!!
    Love the zipper sentiment, great one to CASE.
    Jenny x

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  9. Hi Tara, Brilliant card, so clever, I'm not surprised you were asked to make more, well done, Gay xxx

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