Thank You

Good afternoon...and we're hoping for a little rain in our area. It was sprinkling just a bit as I went to the mailbox to send off this card. Looks like the sprinkling has already stopped. So here's the card I made today for a quick thank you to my blogging friend, Candee.( http://cardcornerbycandee.blogspot.com/) She sent some goodies last week, which was so kind of her. Here's the card scoop:

the focal image is Memory Box Flowering branches; colored with copics in the BG family, along with some pinks, probably R81 & R83. I'm not good at keeping track of the colors used. I scribble a swatch, if I like the look, I go with it. Then I pick another color in the same family, and don't always use the normal Copic system of jumping 2 colors from my lightest. I just color the way it looks good to ME. Ok, so I had the image colored,ready to use. For me the hardest part is picking elements to go with the image. I used Spellbinders Large Deckled rectangle #4 to diecut the image, which looked like it would work fine. However, when I removed from the die, it had left a slip of white on each side, so back to the copics, colored the edges so the white would not be as conspicuous. Used Deckled rectangle #5 to cut the mauve mat (a Bazzill textured scrap), and #2 Deckled rectangle inside #5, to cut a frame. Not so many layers to add to the postage doing it this way. Adhered the image to the frame, then matted with a light blue from a Recollection 4.5x6.5 solids pad.  Added to a larger Design paper Recollections Watercolor Blue Ditsy (the paper still had the name at the bottom!).Found some lighter pink from the Recollection solid pad so I used good ole MS lacey punch to cut some trim pieces for each side of the mat. Then I used the same pink cardstock - leftover to cut out the Memory Box thanks (style 98240) for the sentiment. I decided to cut a blue Memory Box nestled bird (style 817) - from another scrap piece. It looked a bit bland, so I colored & shaded with copics. Added a smidge of clear Spica pen to give a little shine to the bird, popped him up, but that doesn't show up in the photo. Looking at the photo, I wish I had used a darker shade on the 'thanks'...but it has been mailed. Called lesson learned...use more contrast!!! Have a great afternoon, and as always, I appreciate any comments or feedback you might wish to leave. Constructive critique is always a help on the road to improving your skill...at anything.