Birthday Violets & Clover

I had some time on my hands this weekend, and because we didn't go anywhere for the long holiday, so I decided to finish up a few cards I needed to make for a friend. I was looking around on my favorite stamps sites for an idea or challenge to push me in the right direction, when I saw that Flourishes is having a Birthday Challenge, I decided to see what I could come up with.



I went with a very clean line kind of card, which is very hard for me since I really love my Design Papers!! I really thought this would be a snap, because most of the card making process, for me, is agonizing over which papers to even use!!
I pulled out my precious Neenah "Solar White" paper for this card. Let me tell you, I've been hoarding this stuff like Mad, since I bought it last year!!! And the worst part is that I made so many mistakes on the frame (behind the flowers) I made from my Nesties, it was Obscene! The frames were either the wrong size, shape, color or cut off center... I think I went through 7 sheets of my Neenah!! I guess I'll have to buy some more (*Sigh*)!! I used my Scor-Pal to score frames around the 2 pieces of Solar White paper, that's sandwiching my dark green cardstock. I think it gives it a finished elegant look.
I made a frame with my Lrg. Scalloped Oval Nestabilities, and placed the flowers over the frame. The flowers were colored in with my Tombows. I decided to use my craft knife to cut all the flowers out and pop up a few of the flowers, for dimention. Then I went over them with some Diamond Glaze to deepen the colors and give it a slightly more realistic look, otherwise the colors just lay flat on the paper. I placed a pearl in the centers of the flowers.
I cut out, and used the banner from the Flourishes "Seeds of Friendship" and stamped it with "Happy Birthday" on it, from the Flourishes "Violets" stamp set. I shaded a few small spots on the banner to make it just a bit more "realistic" and less stark white. And I used a few popdots under it to pop it up just a tiny bit.
After that card, I then decided to play around with my Nestabilities and see what else I could come up with for fun. I ended up making another card for the Flourishes Birthday Challenge, and their Bring Back Beautiful Challenge. I love it when a two for one kind of thing happens :)



I had this stamp set for a couple weeks, holding off using it, just waiting for the right card layout idea to come along. And I think it works well in the Victorian kind of theme. It's the Flourishes "Irish Blessings" set, and I liked it from the moment I saw it. I loved it because it was a different kind of stamp and bouquet. Growing up in Minnesota, we had Tons of clover on our lawn and I loved it!
I used a Cuttlebug bracket die on the corners, to give it the Victorian feel. I sponged everything with a little bit of Distress Ink "Antique Linnen" on all the edges, for an aged feel to add to the theme.
The cardstock is a cream with undertones of a very, very light pink, that plays off the pink in the bouquet. I embossed outlines on my cardstock, and I am really in Love with the look it gives.
The Clover bouquet was colored in with my Tombows and Peeled Paint Distress ink. And cut out with my craft knife, popped up with a couple of thin popdots, just so it doesn't look so flat on the paper. I also cut out and popped a few of the clover leaves up on pop dots so the bouquet is more 3D, and looks fuller. I was going for a small "shadow box" effect/feel, here.
I really love how the two cards turned out, and I think I know where my cards are heading towards. I'm still new at this, and I keep trying find some formula that works. But I like to still try anything new, to keep things fresh. I kept struggling to find my "style" and never could feel totaly comfortable about anything, until this last card with the clover bouquet. I think I feel more comfortable with the romantic elegant look. But since I like to try anything, I'm sure I'll keep it all mixed up and not settle :)
My husband payed me the nicest compliment this weekend. He said that he really likes my cards and that I really put time into them :) What a Sweetheart! He's a keeper, Ladies! I must be on the right track, then, if he likes them :)
Well, I'm off to check the mailbox to see if my My Favorite Things box has arrived yet! I can't telll you how EXCITED I AM to see what's in the box and you have no idea how I'm just ITCHING to play!!! LOL !!! :)
*Here's to hoping I get to play, today!!*

Psalms 119:105
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."