Travels with Agatha Christie Birthday Card #AgathaChristie

In celebration of Agatha Christie’s 127th birthday tomorrow (September 15, 1890), Lorraine Masonheimer has designed this card with The Queen of Mystery in mind—right down to the teapot. The globe and postcard represent her love of travel which inspired her writing. The stamp displays Agatha’s photo with a crown as the queen of crime writing. Included is a graphic of the Orient Express—one of her many novels. Her crown is bejeweled with green stones—her favorite color and lastly, a bee strolls about the teapot rim representing her varied methods of death.

Supplies

8 ½” x 11” white cardstock

Color coordinated papers (one map, one pattern and two lighter solid colors)

One copy of Agatha Christie photo

6 ½” square envelope

Tag

Happy birthday, birthday candles and tea bag stamps

ColorBox Chalk Charcoal & Brown Ink Pads

Twine

Round punch

One large round embellishment, 4 small green rhinestones, 1 bee embellishment, glue dots

Scissors and x-acto blade

Step One: Card Base & Postcard Background

Cut an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of white paper to 5 ½” x 11” and fold in half for a 5 ½” x 5 ½” card base. Cut the map paper to 5” wide and 3 ½” tall. Draw a large circle from the top left corner to the lower right corner and cut out. To create the postcard underlay, place the light solid paper in the printer. Draw a text box 1 ½” down and 2” from the left upper corner and type "POSTCARD" in Algerian at 19 points. Angle the text box 350o. Space down 10 lines and type Please deliver to my dearest friend at 7 points. Highlight all text and select a medium shade of gray. Print and cut to 5½” x 5½”. Using a pencil, lightly draw in 4 lines ( 1 ½” long) below the sentence at the same angle. If desired, draw in four curvy lines in the upper left corner to represent processed mail.

Step Two: Templates & Cut Images

Using scrap cardstock, draw or trace the template provided and cut out the teapot and crown. The teapot is approximately 3 ½” x 2 ¼”. The crown is ¾” x ¼”. To download the template, place your cursor over this image, right click, scroll to Save Image As and place it onto your computer desktop. Open a word document, create a text box, insert the image to size, print and cut. Trace the teapot and lid onto your patterned paper and cut out. Cut out the crown, draw in desired details and color. Set aside.

Step Three: Reduce & Create Stamp

Make one copy of a photo of Agatha Christie. This example is a reduction to 3/4” square of the cover of The Mysterious Affair at Styles. To create the train, draw freehand or open a word document and draw a text box ¼” wide by ¾” long. Right click, pull down to format shape, solid fill to color pull down black. Place two small boxes on the top of the train, four small circles and one line—all in black as shown to form the train. If desired, type in Venice and L.25 for a more authentic postage stamp. Glue the train next to Agatha’s photo and cut a rectangle leaving a small white border around the combined image. Stamp, cut and color birthday candles from a piece of scrap paper using a charcoal ink pad. Stamp the tag using the brown ink pad with the words happy birthday and cut the tag out, punch a hole, tuck the twine through the hole and glue to the back side.

Step Four: Text, Assemble & Embellish

To create the sentiment, open a word document and type "SENDING YOU" and "GOOD WISHES" on two lines. This example uses Algerian at 14 points. Cut the words into two separate lines.

Glue the 5 ½” x 5 ½” postcard paper to the card base. Glue the globe to the lower left corner. Glue the teapot and lid to the globe. Add the Agatha stamp, the crown, happy birthday tag with twine, sending you good wishes and candles as shown.

Tuck and glue the top of the twine into the top of the teapot. Glue the large round dot onto the top of the lid. Seat the 4 rhinestones onto Agatha’s crown and adhere the bee to the rim of the pot.

Step Five: Embellish Inside and Envelope

Using the computer, create a text box about 4 ½” x 4 ½” and type “FOR A MYSTERIOUSLY GLORIOUS BIRTHDAY.”  The example shown uses the typeface Algerian at 14 points centered. If desired, highlight the word mysteriously and use dark blue to emphasize the word. Print and cut the sentiment into a 4½” x 4½” rectangle. Adhere the sentiment to the inside of the card as shown. If desired, draw or stamp a teabag to the lower right corner. Cut a slit, tuck twine into the top of the bag and glue the other end to the top of the sentiment box. Use scraps to add interest to the inside of the card and envelope flap. Extra postage is required for the larger size card.   

Happy Birthday to the person in your life and Agatha too!