This card is for my husband’s nephew, Ben, who is turning eight at the end of April. This past Christmas, Ben requested a violin tuner from us (no toys!) and for his upcoming birthday, he requested that everyone who intends to give him a gift make a donation to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change instead (no toys!). I think that is amazing, especially for an eight-year-old!
I had not yet inked up the Hero Arts set Whimsical Houses and thought that this would be the perfect set to use for Ben’s birthday card. I created masks for the three houses, stamped a row of them on ivory cardstock and cut it out. I had a really hard time cutting out the trees (not sure why since I love cutting and you all know that!) so I decided to make my own trees out of woodgrain embossed cardstock and die cuts. I used the small flower stamp to create blossoms or leaves on the trees and stitched the pieces together right on to the panel of houses. Before adhering the houses and trees to the card base, I stamped grass along the bottom and added a sentiment from Essential Messages. I used Copics to colour in the little dog to look like their boxer and adhered him with foam tape. I inked up the edges of this card for practice and to give it a warm earthy feel. I’m entering this card in the Hero Arts April Contest in the masculine projects category.
It looks like I’ll be making a replica or some other version of this card. My son really wanted to have this card for himself and started crying when I wouldn’t let him have it. He watched me die cut the trees and was playing with the pieces before I put it together so maybe that explains his attachment. I explained that I made it specifically for his cousin’s birthday so it wouldn’t make sense for him to keep it but of course he didn’t care. In the end, I convinced him that I would make him a bike version (go figure) and took his mind off it by giving him a chocolate egg treat. :Þ
Sources: Gina K Designs pure luxury kraft & 120lb pure luxury white cardstock; SU Naturals Ivory, Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi & Chocolate Chip cardstock; Hero Arts Whimsical Houses & Essential Messages; SU Garden Green & Wild Wasabi inks; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Copics; Papertrey Ink Woodgrain Impression Plate; Papertrey Ink Beautiful Blooms II #2 Die Collection; QuicKutz Epic Six; Gutermann ivory thread; sewing machine; Stampin’ Dimensionals
Cute card, cute story. Treats work wonders, eh!
Oh this is super sweet and what an amazing nephew you have!
Oh my! This is so cute! Love the black and white houses, stunning!
Sounds like an amazing 8 year old. I still ask for toys!! (=
Your birthday card is just so CUTE. No wonder your son wanted it!!! (=
I am loving this card! The houses stamp is awesome and those trees–wow!! Great idea! I think you have a winner here! That's so sad about your son crying over this card, but chocolate bunnies work wonders! 🙂
Make a canvas and decorate your DS' room with it? 🙂 And what a sweet nephew, so precocious, violin tuner!!! so sweet!!!! and oh your card, well, I'd be crying too if you take that away from me!!!
Very cute scene Emily! I can understand why your son was upset, who wouldn't want to own such a cute card for themselves!
I can see why your son wanted to keep this card for himself–it's just so perfect! Love how you cut/stitched the trees and that boxer is the perfect touch! What a sweet nephew you have–more mature than most eighTEEN-year-olds I know!
Love that you didn't color in the houses… and there's nothing wrong with bribery!
I love this Emily, such a wonderful scene – I can understand your son wanting it 🙂
Fabulous scene Emily! LOVE it. Those trees you pieced are fantastic and I love that you personalized the puppy. 🙂
I don't blame your son for wanting it, thank goodness for chocolate hey? Also, what an amazing gesture of your nephew to ask for donations instead of toys.
Take care.
Gorgeous, I get why your son wants it! Love the trees, such a brill idea 🙂
LOL! Thank goodness for chocolate egg treats! 🙂
This card is adorable. Love your trees and, of course, the little doggie. Your nephew sounds like a pretty cool kid and I'm sure he'll love this.
Hi Emily, gorgeous card, love the plain houses, perfect:0) I had to smile at your son's attachment and then your solution, bribery and corruption begins!!! LOL! Hope you have a fabulous day:0) xxx
love your son's story, and your cute card, emily:) the stitching on the trees-too cute!
I think if I were 2 I'd cry if you didn't let me have this card, too! It is so adorable….why does it make me think of Colorforms? *smile*
Emily this could not possible be any more amazing! I love the neighbor hood in black and white and the stitching of trees and who couldn't love that pup?!?
A violin tuner? Oh boy! :> This is such a great card I really like how you left the houses white and overlapped them! And so love the trees! Don't you love it when your little one wants what you've made and you need it right away?? :>
Wow, what an amazing kid 🙂 Hope he has a great birtday and I hope your card wins! This so cute with the graphic houses behind the trees! Maybe your son will make cool cards just like your hubby some day 🙂
This is such a wonderful card Emily and I loved reading about your nephew!
Please tell Ben you are sorry but someone else wanted this card so badly you had to send it to Germany :giggles: LOVE it, bet my lovely dog will fall in love with it as well. Ah well, just tell Ben I´m jealous,ok?! 🙂 HUGS Janna
Are you sure your nephew is human? He's so cool I think he might be a superhero in disguise.
I bet he's also mature enough to recognize how AWESOME that card is! I love that you colored the pup so carefully and let him pop by leaving the houses alone in their outlined glory. The trees are so fun, too!
What a fab card Emily and I love your tree creations. I will always back down for chocolate too – it's just that my husband doesn't realise it!
Great story and great card, Emily! I love how it ended with a chocolate treat . . .
This card is just so incredibly cute! I LOVE that little dog, sitting in the shade of the trees and in front of these great houses. I think any boy wanting climate-change-related donations made in lieu of birthday toys will be extra appreciative of a card hand-crafted with so much love and care.
Very pretty and love how close-knit the homes are – super cute design!
Hi Emily!
This is sooo cute! Love how you kept the houses in white, so all attention goes to the trees and the cute, cute, cute dog!! So much fun!
Yep, I had a wonderful time at Art Specially! And it was fun meeting Jolande, she's very active and positive! Loved learning new techniques from her, she has a very different style than I normally use, but love to learn and try new things! I haven't found time yet to play with the new goodies, but I hope to soon!!!
Wishing you a wonderful day!
Hugs, Wendy
Hi Emily, I love what you did on this card!! It's totally cute, and I'm sure Ben will love it. He sounds like such a sweet boy. Have a blessed day 🙂
WOW! What a nice card!!!! I love it! I'm coming here from Sunghee's blog and I love what I see. I'm eager to take a bigger tour on your blog. I'll bookmark it on my blog. 🙂 I wanted to tell you I love the card you made for Sunghee. The one with the little flower jar and the baker's twine around the jar. Lovely!!
This is darling, Emily. Love the stitching on your trees! 🙂
what a sweet boy! my son wants an ipad for his birthday! Well, it's actually me that convincing my hubby that he needs it so I can use it. heehee.
LOVE LOVE this card! I love how you created the trees. Stitches! Fabulous!!!
Oh my Emily total cuteness!!
Love how you do the close up pictures for us to really see your work! Fabulous card. I like the stitching and that little dog. Very creative.
Adorable card. Love how the green trees jump out with the black and white houses behind. Just perfect!
Fab card, love the sweet little dog, and I like how you left the houses uncoloured, a lovely card.
Wonderful card for a wonderful boy :>) Those trees are too cute!
Love the details on the card! What a great nephew!