Cupcake double challenge and BRAK

First up, the cupcake card! This one was to fulfill 2 DTGD08 challenges: Taylor's (aka tayloredexpressions) Cupcake challenge, and Rose Ann's (aka cutterscallous) Flap Card challenge. I was inspired to make the swooping shape of the flap after watching Kristina's Make a Card Monday this week, and used my oval Coluzzle template to cut it, then cut a matching, longer Chocolate Chip layer to emphasize the shape. Then I repeated it by cutting a smaller, full oval to place my cupcake on. A stamped sentiment, and few 'bling' brads, and the card was done. Seriously took me 10 minutes, most of which was spent finding my cupcake cut-outs and my Coluzzle. Easy peasy lemon squeezy (as my DS would say)!

Next up is the *beautiful* Birthday card my sweet friend Melinda (aka passionfruit) made for me! Isn't it fantastic? *smiles*
It's a gate-fold style card, and the main image panel goes across both panels and has a Velcro closure on the back of the right side to keep the card closed. It doesn't show very well in either pic, but the brown stripe across the card is made of amate paper, an amazing hand-made bark paper made in Mexico. I'm lucky enough to have some (a gift from Melinda when she was in Mexico a few years ago) that I've been hoarding. The texture of it is amazing, and I don't want to use it up! (Which is kinda silly, because Mel goes there a couple times a year, and I'm sure she'd pick some up for me if I asked!)
Thank you such much Melinda! I absolutely *LOVE* it...it's going on my inspiration board *wink*

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a fantastic Thursday!
~Michelle

Supplies Used on Cupcake card:
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Taken with Teal, and Textured Very Vanilla cardstock (SU!); striped (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU!)
Stamps: Mini Mates (SU!)
Other: brads (Karen Foster)