Cake, Candle and Balloons....?

.....it must be a birthday!!

Well, I finally got around to showing you my latest card, I went away for only a few days, but as anyone who runs their own business will tell you it takes MUCH more than the time you're away to get it all together again.  Hopefully I'm "back" now!  I have a couple of cards made, I just need time to "blog" them!

This birthday card uses one of the new Swiss Pixie stamps by CC Designs, available at All That Scraps; this is Birthday Gretel, and she is available as Rubber or digi - mine is (of course) a digi! I coloured her with Copics, Copic Creations has "Use Your Favourite Technique" as it's challenge theme this week, just using them is my Favourite thing, so I'm entering there!

I used the sketch from Moving Along With The Times, you know me, love a good sketch!  The paper I bought when I was "Down South",even teeny country towns have good scrapbooking "stuff" now!  It's Echo Park's "Walk in the Park", don't you love how clean and fresh it looks?  Simon Says Stamp has Spring Colours and Whoopsi Daisy Challenge Blog has "Springtime" as their challenges, this card has such a spring feel I'm entering there.

 Cute Card Thursday has Tropical Colours" and I think the lime, mango and papaya colours here are certainly tropical . I cut and embossed the image panel using Nestabilities Labels Four.  Instead of cutting out the whole image and popping it up on foam dots, I have the balloons "sticking" over the edge, thanks Brenda for telling me how, and you're right it was easy!  

The orange paper for the mats is from Kaisercraft's Rewind collection, though the reverse of one of the EP sheets is a lovely orange which would have worked just fine.  The green card is from American Crafts.  I used Royal Coat Gloss on the flame, the balloons and Gretel's shoes (did anyone else out there have red patent shoes when they were little? lol) and of course Stickles on her pixie wings!

The Crafty Pad has "Flowers" as it's challenge theme, loads of flowers here!  Craft Your Passion has "Anything Goes" as does Papertake Weekly with the Optional extra being to use something new: this card uses new paper and my lovely new stamp.

I used an EK success border punch inside, with papers from the front and stamped a simple sentiment, it looks crooked, but it's not (yes, I measured it, lol) - I think that the word "wishes" being on an angle gives that impression; now I'm not sure I'm happy to have used it, probably wont' use it again.  This is why I always (well, obviously NOT always, or I wouldn't have done this) stamp on a panel and not directly onto the body of my card!

BTW, keep your eyes peeled for a new challenge going live 1st May.  It's called Here Come the Boys there's great candy over there right now (there's a link in my sidebar too) and I've been invited as Guest DT for their very first challenge - I"m very excited!!!

That, as they say, is "it" for today.  As I said I have another card ready, so hopefully I'll post it tomorrow.  Until then, Happy Crafting, Dee.