Birthday

Hello & I hope you have a nice cup of coffee (tea or something else cozy) and we can sit for a little chat. I seem to get stuck on certain types of cards for a while. Right now it's birthday as I have quite a few coming up soon. Today's card is getting the Birthday label, but just as yesterday, it will depend on the sentiment I add later. At least the card is almost ready to go.

I got a couple of the new Spellbinders last week from Oozak, so tried out one, that I really liked. (forgot the wax paper technique, so had to do a bit of picking to get it to release. Operator Error, I think it will be ok next time). I also tried a little paper piercing again around the oval opening, and after I saw the results, sort of wished I had left it off. It's more difficult to do that around a circle or an oval & keep it 'even' --but I'll learn.  I used a SU piercing template to do this. It's straight, so I had to curve it around the oval as I worked. Hence, some holes not placed as straight as I would like.

- background is another of the brayered inks - used Adirondack die inks on this one, then applied the water-spritzed plastic wrap overnight. The crumpled plastic wrap really leaches out a lot of the color, because this was a very vivid brayering - and had 'edges' in the different colors when I first did it. I was concerned with the hard edge between each color that I brayered, when I first finished it. The color separations were really defined and did NOT look nice at all.  After removing the plastic wrap, it's a soft, very mottled effect, all colors blended together. So pretty. When I chose the colors (a Peach Bellini, some greens, a bit of blue...I was just picking up colors, no particular scheme planned), I did have this stamp in mind though.

- Stampscape scene of an old mill. I added some extra trees & rocks out on each side, but they are not visible with the way the card was finished off. There were 2 ducks on the left side at the bottom, and a leaping fish on the right. The ducks smeared, and that's what prompted me to use the oval cutout. I trimmed off the smeared ducks! I stamped using Memento Black Tuxedo die ink - which had not worked well for me on previous attempts. I used my stamp press,was able to get some good pressure, and this ink worked just fine on this try. Added the flying geese to draw the eye around the motif.

- S/Binder A2 Filigree Delight (this is a lovely die...I used the filigree part and center oval for the cutout. Without the center oval, there is a space where stamping could be done, but adding in the oval, it does a cutout area. Very pretty.

- Pale green rhinestones at the corners for a little sparkle and also draw the eye round the card to see what else is there. I will probably add a Happy Birthday diecut sentiment in the center under the oval, but might just leave as is, with the sentiment inside. This could be for a masculine or feminine any occasion card  I believe, and I like this one more each time I look at it.

You could add some diecuts around the frame, but I liked the ornate overmat. I put a piece of vellum between the stamped image and the frame, so that the glossiness of the cardstock is very muted. Had to experiment with different types of vellum to get the mat look I wanted. This is my first try with any kind of vellum. I see so many pretty cards that use vellum, and it's a medium I want to learn to use properly.

Thanks MaggieC for the inspiration to try this brayer & plastic wrap technique! I've had SO much fun experimenting (and hopefully learning too!). Have a wonderful day, and come again when you have time! I always appreciate my visitors and any comments you care to leave. Hugs & Blessings.