Back to School Riley with a birthday

I am a bit late for back to school, but this will be good for some one with a birthday right now!  I keep forgetting to mention a favorite technique for subtle distressing.  I have kept a trimmer with a dull blade - it gives just the right amount of texture at the cut - so much easier than tearing.  My blade gives a rougher edge going left to right, so I can even adjust the amount of distress. I used colored pencils and water color pencils to color - and he has a pencil tucked in his rack!  Another note - soon after I began stamping I bought a box of magnetic "word" stamps (by Words and Crafts).  I forget about them - but they are great for an informal card such as this.  There are endings to add to words, as you see here.  The strip is Washi tape mounted on blue cs.
Sketch:  http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/2014/09/bi-weekly-sketch-challenge-19.html
Birthday:  http://www.thehousethatstampsbuilt.com/
Animal:  http://disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.com/
Child's birthday:   http://crafterscafeblogchallenge.blogspot.com/
Back to school:  http://www.trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com/
Back to school:  http://dianamlarson.blogspot.com/2014/08/dlart-thankful-thursday-challenge-139.html
Pencils: http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com/
Stamp:  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/