Graphic 45 Birthday Card and Gift Box

It's that time of year again when I get together with a neighbor friend of mine, Jana, and we exchange birthday gifts.  We are a bit late.  She is a hard working high school teacher and I, well, I'm busy doing "stuff".  But we take the time to make the most of our gift exchange and draw it out for hours.  We are hoping to see each other this week sometime.  But with Thanksgiving looming it could be tricky.

Jana is responsible for me being an addicted crafter.  After that famous embossing demo she did I was hooked on stamping.  She laughed at my little tote box with a few ink pads and stamps.  She knew that wouldn't contain my enthusiasm for long.  Now my craft room is overflowing along with my brain for card ideas.

My card for Jana merely started as a challenge among my dear friends Jen, Nancy and Chrissie.  Jen alerted us to this engineered style card and I threw down the gauntlet challenging us all to make one.  I made the entire card from Graphic 45 "Birdsong" which I have previously posted.  But while I was making it I realized I had Jana's birthday card in the making.  It is now embellished with copper metal corners and embossed sheet metal, beads, die cuts, chip board and ribbon.

I also made Jana a pair of earrings.  But they needed to go into a special box as well.  Again Graphic 45 "Birdsong" using the CTMH cartridge "Artiste" to make this gift box.  I am happy how it all came together.