Easter Bunny Shaker Card

Today's card is a first for me -I made a shaker card! Can you believe I have been stamping and making cards for 20 years and never made a shaker card yet? I had all the supplies and meant to get around to it many times and just never did...I think the whole thing intimidated me a bit, lol. Silly, eh? Well I faced my fears yesterday and just went for it! I think the hardest part was knowing how much "stuff" to put in...it's not like you can change your mind later without ruining it by tearing it completely apart. I probably should have added just a smidge more before final assembly, but there's always next time. ;)

I was inspired by sketch #238 over @ Paper Craft Crew and by the Easter Bunny theme challenge #338 over @ The Paper Players. I will also be applying this over @ the Repeat Impressions Blog for DCC45 "Add a Die Cut" & @"Love To Craft Blog for their April "anything goes" challenge...this is a sister blog to the Mix It Up Challenge Blog where I am now a proud Design Team member, so go give them some love too! :)

I started out by gathering my supplies and choosing patterned paper from my Basic Gray stash, a retired stamp set from TAC, a doily die from Darice that AC Moore carries, a Sizzix embossing folder, my new Momento black ink (I love 50% off sales at JoAnn Fabric...for details on last week's crafty haul -head to my FB page -the link is in the sidebar on the right) and a top folding A2 white card base.

Using the sketch helped guide me on how big I would need the shaker element to be, so I began by cutting all the layers for the card front, then used the smallest squares from my Pocket Cuts die set from Fun Stampers Journey to cut the shaker window and frame. I cut the opening with the smaller postage edge die and cut the clearview window from a piece of scrap packaging acetate with the larger plain square die. I then used both dies together to cut the frame that would go on the outside of the shaker window.

I ran the front of the white shaker frame through my embossing machine with the sizzix folder and then lightly brushed it with Picked Raspberry Distress ink to bring out the embossed details. I also inked the inside back panel of the shaker window and then splashed some water on it to distress it and break up the color a bit. I used Scotch double sided adhesive foam tape to build the inside framing structure and then chose what would go inside...I went with sequins in several sizes and colors, tiny hole-less beads in several colors and then added just a few seed beads in pastel pink for added interest. With the front of the window frame layers assembled and laying face down on my work space, I added the tiny goodies to the middle...carefully peeled the adhesive backing off the foam tape and lined up the shaker base on top. The tricky part here is getting it perfectly lined up and adhered really well without disturbing the inside contents! 

Once the shaker component assembly was complete, I die cut the tiny doily out of periwinkle cardstock, cut the pink banner to size, stamped & embossed the "Happy Spring" sentiment, stamped &  colored (with Spectrum Noir & Wink -of -Stella pens) and fussy cut the girl and boy bunny then added them to the front of the card with foam pop dots.

I wrapped the card front 2 times with hot pink Scrapper's Floss and tied a double bow that I secured with a mini glue dot. A playful row of sequins was glued along the bottom of the card using Liquid Glass. I sponged the Raspberry ink along the card's front edges and then I moved on to the inside of the card.

I've really been making an effort to continue my designs past the card front...after all, why should the fun end just because you've opened up the card, lol! I used the patterned paper square from inside the frame I made for the card front, stamped the chick in black and colored her with Spectrum Noir pens also. Before adhering it to the card base, I used my Raspberry Distress ink and tool once again to add more color and stamped the sentiment in black.

Now that this card is finished, it will be going out to one of my April card swap partners...everyone loves getting Happy Mail, right? 

P.S. It's Thursday -and that means that over on my FaceBook page I have a #TBT post with a creative "Blast from the Past". Today's Throw-Back-Thursday featured card is from circa 2003-2006. Don't miss out -head on over to my FB page today to Like and Follow me! Hope to see you there :)