July 1 - The crafting crazies begin

The time has arrived. It is, indeed, the first day of July, and I am making good on my goal to complete some type of craft each day. Today? A card to start July off right.
Each year, when July arrives, my country celebrates its birth. I have said it before, and I'll say it again: July 4th is one of my favorite holidays, if not my #1. It's summer. I'm relaxed. I still have some summer ahead of me. Life is usually pretty good.

I also take time to remember and pray for those who risk their lives for the world's freedom. Those who are overseas trying to keep peace in conditions we cannot even imagine. To those individuals, I dedicate today's card.

For this card, I partially CASEd my idea from a card on the cover of the new SU! catalog. I like how they used the Sizzix die but had different strips of paper. I had in mind less of a pattern and more randomness... I had read strips and star patterned paper... but my inner sense of linear order won out.

Size: 4.25 x 5.5" (or really close)
Cardstock: SU! Textured Night of Navy and Basic Gray
Patterned Paper: from a slab I bought at Hobby Lobby
Twill Ribbon: Stampin' Up!
Star Brads: one of the first embellies I ever bought... no idea who the manufacturer was
Stamp: SU! Teeny Tinies
Ink: Stampabilities Pigment Ink
Die: Sizzix Top Note by Stampin' Up!