Happy Birthday Card

Happy 14th Birthday to Jae's nephew! :)  Jae called me yesterday before I left the office and told me he needed a card asap -- I guess I got it done, but is it masculine enough?!  I worried about that last night after I finished...


I used the "Country Living" Cricut cartridge for the numbers; I used my heaviest cardstock and used it as a stencil on top of the purple grid paper with an off-white chalk inkpad and I think it came out really nice.  I have SO many ideas now that I've gone there.  I got the blue tag from a tag set from the Paper Source (I think I called it the Paper Place in an earlier post, that was wrong).  I used lavendar chalk ink on the photo corner thingies, and gave them a bit of pop with dimension dots.  Under it all lies a cute cupcake patterned paper, but you can't really see it... I hope he likes it. 


I visit all my favorite blogs on my way to work, and this morning I got a few tips and tricks that I need to try asap.  First, I have been wanting to try out the misting technique, but am SO hesitant to pay $6 on a little bottle -- it just kills me when I know there has to be a better, more economical way... well, I was RIGHT!  Somebody mentioned that she just gets little spray bottles (think trial sized hairspray in a pump bottle) and dilutes acrylic paint!!  EUREKA!  I'm going to go to the Sally Beauty Supply on my way home and see about some little bottles and steal some paint from Sam (heehee).  


Second tip I would like to try is cleaning up my paper hoard.  It's OUT OF CONTROL.  I use 12" x 12" sheets, usually, and when I use pieces, the left overs just go into a large, plastic storage bin where it's forgotten and buried under the next project's scraps.  Another blog buddy suggested that you go through all the old scraps, cut a uniform size and file them by color, season, etc.  GENIUS.  I'm going to do that, as well.  She said I'd be left with lots of strips, but there's an answer for that too: glue them onto cardstock and make your own patterned paper.  I think I may try this.  I HAVE to get things organized, because I have so much stuff that doesn't get used.  


I have my work cutout for me today!  Let's see how the spray paint stuff turns out... I have to make some pages for my scrapbook anyway.  I found some great photos that I'd like to scrap...


Things are busy, busy, busy... I must go. ;)


XO