A Two-Trick Giraffe

One of my tweeps ordered a purple giraffe Valentine's Day card for her great-granddaughter (I think), and while making it I employed two tricks I thought I'd share with you. Here's the card:

This image from the Paper Smooches Zoo Crew set is adorable, and even cuter when purple.

For my first trick: the ribbon. I used a technique I saw on an OWH video. I know I've wedged ribbon under a brad in the past, but I really like this twist on it. Here's the step-by-step.

1. Position the ribbon:

Admittedly, this is a gratuitous and totally unnecessary photo, but I needed to show you the perfect ribbon (in my opinion) chosen from my Every Color Purple Ribbon But The One I Need collection. Oh, but I can point out that you should leave the ribbon long for this. Trim it at the end of the assembly process.

2. Mark where you'll punch the hole for the brad:

I do this to help me get close to punching in the right spot.

3. Punch the hole for the brad:

4. Spread the legs of the brad open:

One of my tweeps pointed out to me that stamping has a lot of sexual references. We mount stamps, spread the legs of brads. He may have a point, there.

5. Place the ribbon between the brad's legs (there it is again) and insert the brad into the hole you punched:

This works for most ribbons and brads. If you have a really thick ribbon, you may need to find a longer-legged brad.

6. Pull the ribbon straight, push the brad into place, and secure on the back:

And you're done. I trimmed the ribbon at this point, or you can wait until your card is assembled.

For my second trick, I was so happy with how I'd cut the scallop rectangle from my purple scrap, I had to show you this:

I left enough room at the edge that I could use the piece as the bottom layer:

It was a perfect fit, and now that whole remnant is gone. Go, me! :)

Okay, time for me to break into some Distress paint! I'll be back.

Thanks for stopping by!

Products used:
Basic Grey Offbeat 6x6 paper pack
Paper Smooches Zoo Crew stamp set (SSS|EH)
Miscellaneous ribbon
Miscellaneous purple textured card stock
Memento black ink (SSS | EH)
Copics BV02, YR23, C1
Spellbinder's Long Rectangles, plain and scalloped
SU brad
Martha Stewart Heart Confetti punch
Neenah Solar White card stock 25 sheets (SSS | EH) ream (SSS | EH)
Teflon bone folder (SSS | EH)
Fiskars paper trimmer (SSS | EH)
Silhouette Pick-Me-Up pen (SSS)
Martha Stweart glue pen
Martha Stewart Mini Scoreboard (SSS|EH)