Happy Anniversaries! (Plural)

A have two Wedding Anniversary cards to share with you.

The first card is for a challenge over at Paper Playtime. For May and June I have been asked to be on the design team. So, I am not just playing along, I am hoping to inspire my followers and those of you who follow Paper Playtime. This challenge is open to you! Please join us in creating a Z-fold card.

Yes, Challenge #48 is to make Z-Fold card with any themes & colors. For an optional challenge, use your personal paper cutting machine, if you have one. Two of my very best friends are celebrating their 11th Wedding Anniversary at the end of June. These two folks are a terrific model of a great marriage. They truly have synergy and harmony. So I chose to use Koi fish to represent their marriage. I made my Z-fold card with the following measurements: The base is 4 1/4" X 11" and scored at 2 3/4" and 5 1/2". With these measurements, you will end up with an A2 card (5 1/2" by 4 1/4"). However, you will find them in many sizes.

I found a beautiful Koi clip art here. I traced the Koi fish with my Pazzles personal cutter software. At first I included all the "spots" on the Koi, but at this small size most of them were too small to work with. I had this lovely paper in my stock. I think it turned out to be a better way to emulate the Koi! I incorporated the Koi into the front fold of the card. The heart is built into my software. OK--so I have to brag a little. I am really pleased with the way this Z-fold card turned out. I think it is a lovely card. I did not have the proper style of stamp for the card and I was hesitant to write inside the card. I was blessed to find the perfect stamp at the thrift store the next day!! Now I can sign the back of the card with a personal wish and not "mess it up!"

The other card is for my groom. We celebrated 17 years of marriage this past Saturday. This card measures 5" tall and 7" wide. The cut elements are from a cut file called "Sealed With A Kiss" created by Scrap Savvy. Isn't that the cutest?! (That file has a few more elements that I did not use.) I am not brand loyal and usually do not to keep track of the papers I use for my cards. However, I have to share that the paper for this card is DCWV, Hippie Chick (excluding the background). The patterns and colors are amazing!! Do check it out! I used an Action Wobble spring for the heart. I also used foam pieces to make the couple stand out off the heart. Here's a tip: If you want a piece of your design to "stand out" but you feel the foam is too thick, layer some card stock behind the cut. That is just what I did for the kisses at the top! Now off to share some kisses with my groom!