Happy Birthday, Little Girl

Here's a birthday card I made for a special little girl's first birthday that's coming up next week. I used Sketch Challenge 112 for the design. Initially, I planned a pink and brown color scheme for the card because her room is done in those colors. Once I added on the piece of Loves Me designer paper, I ended up including some Taken with Teal as an accent. The elephant is stamped in Regal Rose craft ink, then embossed with clear embossing powder, so she looks shiny and textured. I also stamped the elephant's ear and the tiny flower on separate pieces of paper and cut them out, then popped them up on dimensionals. Along with the wiggly eye, it adds a fun touch to the elephant. I used the round tab punch for the sentiment. This kind of tab shape is not my usual style, but I'm enjoying using it and finding that it's pretty versatile. I'm liking this design so much that I think I may have to do some variations on this card in other colors for other people/purposes.

As for a gift for the birthday girl (yes, there will be more than just a special card . . .), I got her something that I love: a Brown Bear Touch and Read Block. As a former (and maybe again, someday) kindergarten teacher, I have an obsession with children's picture books and Eric Carle is one of my favorite authors. His Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is a classic. This is a fun toy that encourages language and literacy development and is becoming one of my go-to gifts for my friends' little ones. The block has pictures of 6 of the animals from the story. When an animal is pressed for the first time, the animal is identified; the second time, the animal's sound plays; the third time, the animal's part in the book is recited. I think little ones will love playing with this interactive toy. The talking block does freak my dog, Cosmo, out though--not that it takes much to do that to him . . .

Materials Used:
From Stampin' Up!: Wild About You and Everyday Flexible Phrases stamp sets; Regal Rose, Close to Cocoa, Taken with Teal, Pretty in Pink, and Whisper White cardstock; Loves Me designer paper; Regal Rose Craft ink; Regal Rose and Taken with Teal Classic inks; Taken with Teal and Certainly Celery markers; ticket corner punch; round tab punch; scalloped scissors; stampin' dimensionals; clear embossing powder
Other: white organdy ribbon (Joann); rose brad (Making Memories); wiggly eye; Sakura Stardust Gel Pen