Well...I got one done!

This card came about by using the online sketch challenge presented yesterday. I have been wanting to ink up Embrace Life again....I really love this stamp set! You are probably getting tired of seeing it though...I'm sorry! Sometimes when I sit down to stamp something I can't get a certain "something" out of my idea bank in my little head and lately it has been this stamp set. It has kinda been my "go to" stamp set, I guess. :)

Here is my little creation for you today:

The base is ruby red stamped with the large flower from Embrace Life in ruby red ink. Love a tone on tone look! The next background panel starts with a piece of Ginger Blossom Designer Series Print Paper...another favorite! I know...I know....it's all my favorite, right? I punched that with the ticket corner punch. The next layer of groovy guava was pierced with my mat pack and piercer to create the holes for the brads from my Antique Copper Hodgepodge Hardware. That layer was mounted up on stampin' dimensionals onto a piece of very vanilla. I took some hoarded, I mean very hoarded ribbon from Beachfront set of ribbon, and adhered it around that panel with sticky strip. I bought it when the last catalog was released and couldn't bring myself to cut into it. What is my problem????? It is only ribbon.....this is why my stampin' space is bulging! What can a girl do? I am trying to rehabilitate myself.....use the good stuff!...what good does it do me stacked up on a shelf of stashed in a drawer? I digress, sorry. I just need to get it out. LOL!

My main image panel was created by stamping the single stem flower from Embrace Life with black staz-on ink onto watercolor paper. I watercolored it with ink refills and my beloved aquapainter. For the flower, I used blush blossom, groovy guava and ruby red. For the highlight, I used river rock with a touch of always artichoke directly under the flower. The stem was lined with always artichoke. Here that is close up:

I matted that onto groovy guava. I stamped my sentiment, happy birthday, from amazing to zany in groovy guava onto very vanilla. I punhed it out with my small oval punch and then matted it with groovy guava punched with my large oval punch. Gotta love layering punches...easy peasy! I punched a hole in that with my 1/16th inch handheal punch and threaded linen thread through that and tied to create a loop. That was threaded onto a piece of vanilla taffeta ribbon that was wrapped around my flower panel and tied into a knot. I did adhere the sentiment to the main panel with a stampin' dimensional.

Speaking of stampin' dimensionals......I used a ton of them on this card! Check out the dimension here: