Birthday Card - Dexterity Puzzle

Birthdays start early in the year for my immediate family.  My daughter is in January, and my husband and son-in-law are in early February, all within a week and a half. I had this idea about making one of those old marble puzzle toys (they are actually called dexterity puzzles) for my daughter and son-in-law, like the kind you'd get in a Cracker Jack box back in the days. The idea began with the Snow Globe Shaker card by SVG Cuts.  It planted the seed in my head to make the dexterity puzzle.
I took the snow globe portion of the Everyday Winter Cards from SVG Cuts pattern.  Then the search began for the marbles (or ball bearings) of a size that would work.  Tried looking at bb's, but they were too big.  Then I asked my husband, and we realized that he sells ball bearings and the size was perfect!  Score!
I had to build up the outer edges of the circle portions in order for the marbles to clear the acrylic.  It took 10-11 thicknesses of cardstock for this to happen.
I made each background with a map where they had traveled. Then incorporated their goofy faces on the map and printed them out and glued them to some cardstock. I made hole punches on their noses, and then on some of the cities that they had visited (one got Italy and one got Austria). Each had five ball bearings.

Once this was made, I just glued it to the front of their cards.  It really turned out cute. Upon opening, they immediate had a competition to see who could get their marbles in the holes first. It was a spot-on tie. Yup, I know they're 25 and 29...some of  us stay kids for quite a while.
Here's the front of the finished card.

This was definitely fun, and really easy to do once I figured it out.

Happy birthday!

Happy Valentine's Day

Well, here we are on February 14, 2013 celebrating Valentine's Day once again.  If not taken too seriously, this is a fun time of sharing moments with our special loves, be it husband, boyfriend, children, other family or besties.  We really don't celebrate a lot in our house, but my husband always makes sure that my daughter and I get a nice card and some See's candy (no complaints here!).
I made my husband some chocolate chip cookies.  You know the addage, "The way to a man's heart is  through his stomach."  Yup, that's the way it is in our house, and so we have a big batch of cookies waiting for his consumption.  And, of course, I made a nice dinner.
I also made him a card, which was easy, fun, and I think turned out just fine.

 

The card is 6"x6", and was made with the Union Square paper collection from Recollections. The flower on the card came from SVG Cuts 3D Mums SVG Kit. It's the Tickseed mum. Very easy to make, and really cute. I made it at just over one-half of the original pattern size. Made some tickets that I got from some digi kits, and I added some wording to them. Then added a little heart brad.
Here's the  inside.

Again, the elements were from some digi paper.  And, I just made the little flag banner at the bottom.

So, hope you all have or had a lovely day.  I've definitely had too much chocolate today!

May love find you wherever you may be!