Floral Birthday ....

.... Hi! It's a really gloomy, dull, wet and cool day here in North Wales. I was going to make a card yesterday, but instead I spent the day out in the garden potting up some plants for mum - don't tell her, but I think I'm actually beginning to enjoy this gardening lark!!! Who knew??

Anyway, as I didn't make a card yesterday, I thought I'd share a birthday card that I made last month for a friend. Her husband called and asked me to make something special for her - the only requirements were flowers and pastel. Here's the card:

Stamps: Altenew - Garden Hydrangea; Winnie & Walter - The Big, The Bold and The Happy
Inks: Gina K - Innocent Pink, Powder Blue, Lemon Drop, Key Lime, Wild Dandelion, Wild Lilac, Wild Wisteria, Dusky Rose, Red Velvet, Jelly Bean Green, Grass Green, Fresh Asparagus, Soft Stone, Jet Black Amalgam; Memento - Summer Sky, Danube Blue, Angel Pink, Lulu Lavender, Lady Bug, Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves; Stampin' Up! - Pink Pirouette
Dies: Altenew - Garden Hydrangea; Die-namics - A2 Stitched Rectangles Set 2 #5 and # 6
Accessories: White Card; SU Card & DP - Smoky Slate; Joggles Stencil - Branches

This is a large card measuring 8" x 8". I'm sure that I'm not the only person who buys stamps and dies and then doesn't actually use them!! I've had this stamp set a while and it was such fun getting it out and creating such pretty hydrangeas. I used my MISTI to speed up the process of stamping this multi-layer flower. I stamped each flower in this order, outline, solid layer, detail and finer detail and then used the matching die to cut them out. I did the same process for the leaves. I stenciled a soft grey ink through a branch stencil for a soft, subtle background. I stamped the birthday greeting and then added the flowers and leaves. On the inside of the card, I cut a mat layer of soft grey card and on the white panel I stamped another hydrangea flower in soft yellow, and added a greeting which I typed on the computer, die cut and layered on some design paper.

I'm submitting this card to Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#16 - a challenge run by the wonderful Darnell. I love this phrase that Darnell coined - she has other fabulous sayings too! As I said, I've had this lovely hydrangea stamp for a while, and it was fun to use. I've other similar sets, so I will probably be back to play along again soon.  

That's all from me for now - time to get some lunch. See you soon.