Hi everyone! Hopefully you have landed here from the wonderful Jill Vickers’ blog as part of the AAA Cards Challenge birthday extravaganza blog hop.  Today marks a milestone in the AAA Cards Challenge – our first birthday!  To celebrate, the AAA Cards Design Team have put together a birthday blog hop. This post contains all the links you’ll need to join in the fun, and hopefully also win one of the awesome prizes up for grabs from our lovely prize sponsors. Full details on the birthday blog hop can be found just after my card. 
I first die cut the largest Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangle from Neenah Solar White card stock. I then used the Simon Says Stamp Falling Hearts stencil (one of my all time favorite stencils) with Dreamweaver embossing paste to create the background.  
The ombre effect was created by coloring the embossing paste with Simon Says Stamp inks in Audrey Blue, Maliblue, Surf Blue, and Sea Glass.  You just need a teeny squidge of ink on a craft mat (non porous) and a tiny swipe of embossing paste for this effect, to avoid wasting it.  

The tiny polaroid frame was die cut from the Mama Elephant Polaroid Fun Creative Cuts set in Neenah Solar White, and to make it stand out a little better from the background, I lightly edged it in Simon Says Stamp Fog ink. To give it dimension I used rolled up mini glue dots.  (No way I was going to spend hours cutting tiny pieces of foam tape!!).

The balloon was die cut from the Simon Says Stamp Balloons die set in Neenah Solar White.   I then used sponge daubers to color it (Sea Glass and Audrey Blue round the edge) leaving enough white to look like a highlight.  You can just see in the picture that it sparkles with some clear Wink of Stella. The balloon was popped up on foam tape.

For the sentiment I used Sweet Shoppe Chit Chat stickers I’d previously received in a card kit, and to finish it off, some DMC gold thread tied around the balloon and secured with Multi Medium Matte.  And oh my gosh – THERE IS NO STAMPING ON THIS CARD!  Just realised 🙂


Now onto the birthday extravaganza blog hop!

As mentioned, this post is part of the AAA Cards 1st Birthday Extravaganza Party Challenge and Blog Hop.  The challenge runs from May 10th to May 23rd and to celebrate, we have lots of wonderful prizes up for grabs, courtesy of our generous blog hop prize sponsors, including a grand prize of a $50 Simon Says Stamp voucher!!!!

I encourage you to pay them all a visit and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with their stuff, just like me!

Prize Sponsors:
Simon Says Stamp 
Lawn Fawn 
DigiStamp Boutique
Visible Image
Clearly Besotted
Uniko Studio
And our very own Justine Hovey who is giving away a spot on one of her classes.

The challenge is simple and the possibilities are endless – help us celebrate our first birthday by making a birthday card!

The Design Team hop order is below. If you get lost along the way, just head back here or the main AAA Cards blog.   Next up is the amazing Sarah Platt, and her gorgeous card POPS with birthday CAS color.

Have a wonderful time, be sure to leave lots of comments, and make sure you enter.  Tell all your crafty friends – everyone is invited to join our party!

Jenny x

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64 Comments

  12. Beautiful card, love your colour choices and that balloon really looks as though it has some texture paste even though it doesnt. It is my favourite on the hop, wonderful.

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  15. Jenny, this is so tender card! Love the background and focus on a wonderful balloon. Your card is so well balanced and looking simple, yet I see how sophisticated it is. Happy 1st AAA Cards Birthday!

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  16. A beautiful BD-card! Love those colours and great pics; you've catched the glimms of the Wink of Stella so well! Happy 1st BD at AAA cards!

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  18. Oh you have inspired me to use that falling hearts that I own but have not yet used. Wonderful card Jenny. Thanks for all your help with the permalink! It's wonderful to be on the DT with you. Have a great day!

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  22. Happy Birthday, AAA Challenges! Your card is ever so pretty…the balloon, the hearts, the frame, the sentiments….simple, yet incredibly stunning! To everyone at AAA: May birthday #1 be followed by many, many more…love your challenges and, especially, the DT inspiration!
    ~c

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  27. I love that falling hearts stencil, the randomness of it and your beautiful ombre colouring, just gorgeous. I've had a great time taking part in your birthday blog hop. Cheers! Stef x

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  40. Love it! The background is so simple and sweet and awesome! A perfect starting point for the rest – THANKS so much for the inspiration. Happy Birthday AAA!!
    Lyn

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  42. I love the soft blues on your card, Jenny! That embossing paste background is perfection and the balloon is coloured beautifully. Thanks for sharing such a fab card for AAA's first birthday 🙂

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  58. I really love how you colored the Balloon so adorable and cute hearts background too…lovely bday card you have made I ADORE your DT card…hugs, Monika

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  62. I love the different shades of blue you have used with the texture paste through the falling hearts stencil Jenny and the balloon with the pretty gold cord makes a great focal image. x

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  63. Wow, this card is definitely one of my alltime favorites! I love that ombre background and the balloon looks so real! Happy First Blogoversary! Hugs Laura

    Reply

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