Elephant Birthday card (SFYTT)

Hi there! Well, it's sure a good thing that Leap Year falls in 2012, as it's giving me the time I need to play along with this month's Sketch For You To Try. I really would like to play every month this year, so far, I am 2 for 2! Sadly, the sponsor this month is Your Next Stamp, and I don't have any of those, which is a bummer, because I do think that this commissioned elephant birthday card would have been stellar with this cute elephant stamp from there. But, ces't la vie, right? Here is the sketch:

As I mentioned above, this card was commissioned by a friend for her son's 8th birthday. She also commissioned the penguin card from this post for her other son. 

**Thanks a million, Stephanie! :) Encouraging friends keep me going, and you have given me a lot of that lately. I am still hoping you will move here, so we can actually hang out in person, instead of just on facebook. xo**

Stephanie's son likes elephants like my son does! So, I pulled out this old (retired) SU! set "Wild About You." I actually used this set for my little Ev's birth announcements **sniff sniff** and now he's 4 and a half! :( But, I digress.... this is an adorable set, and such a cute stamp. I have a few other elephant stamps, but this, by far, is my fave. He's got so much character! :) The elephant is stamped in Pool Party ink with a popped up ear stamped in Bermuda Bay (retired). I started out with a Early Espresso card base, and all the DP is from a single Imaginisce printed sheet, love the balloons! I even fussy-cut out the 8 and the balloon that the elephant is holding from that sheet. For the balloon string, I decided that I wanted the string to look as if it was tied around his trunk, so I pierced some holes and backstitched some bakers twine down to the card. 

along the LH side, the layered embellishments are just made from a variety of punched pieces. The elephant brads were a last minute addition, but I'm glad I came across them in my stash, as they are just too cute for this card. the final touch was to heat-emboss the sentiment in white pigment ink with white EP. Well, that is all for me today! I have some other things in the works, and still need to snap pics of the scrapbook pages from this weekend, so I'll be back soon with some more fun projects!! :)

hugs, Noelle

supply list: solid cardstock, ink, stamps: Stampin' Up!; patterned paper: Imaginisce; punches: Martha Stewart Crafts, EK Success, and SU!; elephant brads; making memories; bakers twine: Crate and Barrel; white pigment ink; white embossing powder; heat gun

DUST IT OFF!: Those animal brads have been around a LONG time! I have used a few here and there, but I guess I need to find a big project to use them on! :) Plus that stamp is old and retired... but look at that face, who could resist him? Just say YES to using those old supplies! ;)