Monkeys and Drumsticks

Recently I read on a couple of blogs that while the papers and stamps etc are out for one card, that it is a good idea to make another using those same papers and stamps. (I'm sorry that I can't remember which blogs they were though.) So while everything was out for the 17th card I posted a couple of days ago, I took the advice and made a smaller, simpler card for another male relative. I just used the one stamp, with the same papers, punch and techniques as before. A great time saver all round - especially as coming up with the ideas and how to achieve them is usually what takes the longest for me.

This second card was also made for my son, but for my in-laws to give him. He plays the drums, and is an Iron Maiden fan - hence the font which is a free download here. The backing paper on this card was from a set that came with a magazine, and I chalked brown and grey around the edges for shading. The drumsticks holding up the words are made from Bazzil card with brown and grey chalk to shade. I then scored down the middle of the stick on the back and folded them slightly to give a bit of dimension. They are mounted on the card with foam pads.
I used my drawing program to break apart the two layers of the font, and then exported the shapes to my cutter software so that I could use the machine to cut them out. They were cut out of two different shades of brown Bazzill, and then glued together with pva. The thread that they are hung on is DMC Precious Metal Effects embroidery thread. This was one of those cards that I got to the point where I thought 'why am I doing this?' - and that point came right around tying the threads around the drumsticks! Initially my idea was to have the letters hang freely, but I had to use a tiny snippet of foam pad at the bottom of each one to stop them pinging up all over the place.