Enjoy the ride

This card is for the January Papertrey Ink blog hop. This month's challenge was to create a card that is the "total package" - that is, not just decorating the outside, but also thinking about the inside (and even the back of the card!)
I really wanted to show the little birdie riding the bike, but if you're familiar with the stamp, you'll know that he usually faces the other way. One of the benefits of clear stamps is the ability to see where you're stamping. So I inked up each bit separately (feet, beak, tail) and stamped them where I wanted them. Thus the little guy is facing the right way!

And I'm sure you're asking - where on earth did she get thread for those buttons - it matches the cardstock PERFECTLY! Well folks, hold on to your hat. That's because it IS carstock! I sliced very thin strips with scissors, and threaded it through the buttons. Cool beans, huh?

For the background, I wanted the look of patterned paper stripes, but with some texture. So I cut strips of cardstock, added a length of ribbon, stamped the dotted flourish (from Holiday Button Bits) and also scored a line below the sentiment.

Here's a look at the inside - I think I spent more working on the inside than on the outside!
Using buttons on the inside would have added too much bulk, so I used paper instead! For the bike, I punched two circles from Ocean Tides and stamped with the star (from Tree Trimming Trio), then edged them in Ocean Tides ink to give the edges some definition. To give the idea that the bike is moving, I stamped the dotted flourish from Holiday Button Bits, also in Ocean Tides.

Even more stripes carry the front of the card to the inside. The larger bird has a paper circle body, I embossed it using a CB embossing folder. I also added a wing (also with stripes, keeping with the theme.)


Finally, even the back of the card got some love. Rather than my usual "handmade by" stamp, I used another of the Everyday Button Bits sentiments, "Sending smiles across the miles" and the same star. Sorry it's hard to see, click on the photo for a larger image.

Stamps: Everyday Button Bits, Holiday Button Bits, Tree Trimming Trio (PTI)
Paper: Ocean Tides, Berry Bliss (PTI), Confetti White (SU)
Ink: Ocean Tides, Berry Bliss (PTI)
Accessories: Berry Bliss ribbon, Ocean Tides buttons (PTI), 3/4", 1" circle punch (SU), Large rectangle Nesties (Spellbinders), Snowflakes embossing folder, CB (Provocraft), pink button (Making Memories)