Birth-Day vs Birthday at Di's Digis

So yet another fortnight has whizzed by and it's time for a new challenge at Di's Digis.  The theme this time around is "Birthdays", but I'll be honest and tell you I got distracted half way through making my card, which was going to be for my grandson's birthday in March, when my husband's great niece had a baby boy on Tuesday - I got all excited having such a cute image all coloured up ready and decided to use it for a "baby" card.... so this is stretching the theme as it's for a "Birth-Day" vs a "Birthday".

The image - told you it's CUTE, lol - is called Animal Crew and is available here.  As usual I used Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils to colour the image, quite a bit of pencil this time around - I'm really happy with the lion's mane and just couldn't get this effect without using the white pencil.  I added gloss to the balloon, think I might add some to the lion's nose, not sure yet.

This is quite a big card (21.5 x 14.5 cm or roughly 81/2" x 6"), it's one of the things I love about digis; the ability to scale them up or down to suit your card size.  Right from the outset I was determined to make this a "one layer" style card, I've been admiring Netty's work for some time and this is the look I've been trying to emulate (err, alright, copy, lol) without much success... I am definitely closer this time!!  Still a ways off though, oh well something to aspire to :-)
I used the sketch from Stella Says Sketch  it really lends itself to this style of card. 
The patterned paper is from Die Cuts With a View, the Animal Crackers pad; it's an 8x8 pad so it fit the card without matting (in fact it's cut down).  The blue cardstock is leftovers from my stash, the star punch is one my folks brought back from one of their Malaysian trips, and the star safety pin embellie is from a pack I've had for years.  
The twine is from my stash too; the day after I finished this card I found a pack of blue paper string which actually looks better, but it's too fiddly to change so I'll stick with the twine.
I used the "Congrats" die from Sizzix Celebrate Words die set, I added gloss to it: I think it looks more "finished" that way.
As always I finished the inside of the card to suit the front, I stamped the sentiment inside using Memento ink and stamps from a couple of sets (Kaisercraft both, I think) that have been gathering dust in my CD holder (that's how I store my clear stamp sets) until I bought my Stamp-a-Ma-jig... now I'm stamping all the time 'coz I can get them straight... I know this doesn't look that straight, but trust me IRL it is!!
I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges;

Great Impressions Any Celebration

Simon Says Challenge One layer, can add embellishments

Hiding in my Craft Room Super Scraps Saturday

Clear It Out Theme: Anything Goes Stash: Twine

Simply Papercrafts Anything Goes

Little Miss Muffet Anything Goes

That Craft Place Anything Goes

Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends Anything Goes

Addicted to  Stamps Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion Anything Goes

Crafting With Friends Anything Goes

Creative Fingers Anything Goes

Art by Miran Anything Goes

Through the Craftroom Door Anything Goes

Well that's it for the card, loving this style; it lets the image shine, and as colouring images is my favourite part of card making I'm happy because I get to spend more time colouring and less time assembling!

I hope you get a chance to enter the challenge this time around "Birthday" is an easy theme - even if you are me and stuff it up a bit :-))  There's a great prize on offer from Craftin' Desert Diva's shop and also a prize from SVG Attic and dont' forget if you use one of Di's fab digis OR a Candibean rubber stamp you go into an extra draw with it's very own prize, yeehaw!!

I'll be back soon; my Drafts folder is burgeoning I really DO have to sort it out and get it published!  Until then, Happy Crafting, Donna