Happy Birthday Cousin!!!

It's amazing to me that my cousin's son is going to be 7!!!! Seven??? How did that happen?? He's a great kid, super sweet and a great older brother. He's WAY WAY WAY into sports...most especially baseball. And since we're in MA he's a pure blooded Red Sox fan!!!

So I decided to make some patterned paper custom designed just for him!! I wanted to keep it simple as the card is really for his Mom (my cousin Jodi) to enjoy...because really...he's 7...what does he care about the card for??? =)

But anyway, I pulled out my PTI Simple Alphabet set and got to work. It's hard getting the letters straight because they are TINY and all cut up individually but I think I made it work pretty well. I mounted them onto one of my long, thin acrylic blocks. I then decided that starting with the baseball first and then working the letters around it was the best. (after 2 or 3 attempts at lining it up correctly the other way around) I used SU! Real Red and Blue Bayou ink (retired).

I stamped the baseballs in Stazon and then lightly colored it with my Copic R29 - Lipstick Red. For the words, I just kind of eyeballed it all as I don't (unfortunately) have the patience for measuring and graphing it all out first. I really loved how it turned out!!!

I added an SU! large rivet, knotted with some hemp twine for another little touch. I had some of the SU! 5/8" grosgrain ribbon lying on my desk from another project so I stapled it on and LOVE how it looks! I used the first set that I ever bought - Circle of Friendship (SU!) with both Real Red and Night of Navy scraps. I stamped it in Basic Black and adhered it to the card with a foam adhesive square.

It's cut at 3.5 x 3.5 as it was my first attempt at creating patterned paper I didn't want it to be too daunting.

I hope that he has a SMASHINGLY, wonderful birthday!! Happy Birthday Cousin!!!