Happy Birthday Ardyth (a little late....)

Yesterday was Ardyth's birthday and Darnell through her a surprise party on her blog where she is asking us to CASE an Ardyth card (gulp) and make a birthday card for her based on it http://www.djkardkreations.com/2013/05/happy-birthday-ardyth.html

I selected this happy dotty one layer creation and set about trying to do it justice.  I think I started with a base card that was a little too small, but other than the fact that my design doesn't have quite enough space to breathe, I am quite pleased with the rest of it.

I pulled out my favourite of the moment quilt pattern stamp from WPlus9 and stamped it twice side by side.  I masked off the edges so I could get a nice straight edge finish and then stamped a rainbow of colours to the diamond pattern as nothing says Ardyth to me more than a bright and happy rainbow!  I finished with a big (perhaps a little too big) sentiment from PTI.

It's Ardyth's week to host OLW too and she wants a card she'd like - hopefully this fits the bill - and it helps keep the birthday celebrations going a little longer!  Happy Belated Birthday Ardyth!  http://ardythpr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/olw-142-happy-birthday-to-me.html

A jar of flowers

Combining challenges is often quite tricky and you can end up with something a bit "meh" but then other days, like today, everything just aligns perfectly and challenges just combine themselves.  Today is one of those days.

I'm joining in the blog hop at papertrey ink and I picked the second bouquet for my colours http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/2013/05/may-2013-blog-hop-.html  and as the theme at a passion for papertrey is all about nature - flowers fall nicely into place for that challenge too
http://apassionforpapertrey.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/challenge-inspired-by-nature/

Then for my layout, I followed Lesley's photo inspiration at Fusion challenge http://fusioncardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/fusion-card-challenge-hypothesis-8.html

So I pulled out "The Sweet Life" stamp set and matching dies along with inks as close to the pti colours as I could find in my supplies and this is what I made....

I stamped and cut 3 large roses and one small one in pinks and oranges and then some leaves in olive greens.   The little mason jar is actually a clearly besotted die cut from white striped vellum and then coloured with copics on the reverse for a watery look.  I stood the jar on some grey dp which I ran through my new stampin up fancy fans embossing folder.  I finished with a large PTI sentiment across the jar.