Happy Thoughts Background

I haven't had time to make many cards or participate in many challenges lately, but I did get a card made this weekend.  I made it for two challenges. The IO challenge and the Simon Says Wednesday challenge.  They both asked you to make your own backgrounds for your card.  I made a simple background by stamping a sentiment several times,  I used Gina K Honey mustard ink to stamp the sentiment.  The IO products used in this card
are clear stamp set CL43 and Bird on a Branch die  DIE161-N.

This is the inside of the card.



















The IO challenge is here
 http://mitrafriant.typepad.com/impression_obsession_news/2014/09/impression-obsession-challenge-beautiful-stamped-backgrounds.html

The Simon Says Challenge is here
http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/

Laurie's Birthday

My girl friend loves flowers and pearls and all thing girly so I made  this card for her birthday.  The hydrangea is an IO die and the other dies are Spellbinders.  These dies add a  paper piercing detail which adds texture without all the work. I will enter this in Celebrate Birthday's challenge at The House that Stamps Built..
  http://www.thehousethatstampsbuilt.com/designers-choice-challenge/dcc827-celebrate-birthdays/

Winter Scene Shaker Card

The challenge at Mod Squad is to create a Holiday  Theme card that uses both acetate and vellum so I pulled out my Madison Window and created a shaker card.  I used the acetate behind the window die and the vellum for the poinsettia topper. I colored the vellum with some Copics on the back side.  I really love how the embossing pops with this technique. There are a few things I wish I would have done differently, but it is prettier in real life than it is in the picture. You can see the challenge here .

Donna's Birthday Card

I liked the birthday card that I did for my husband's barber and I needed a birthday card for a good friend who is not the pearls and lace or fancy die cut type, but I still wanted a  feminine card. I decided to use the same layout but I changed the colors, added some embossing with an embossing folder  and used butterflies instead of the deer. I think she will like it. 












I will enter it in the IO  challenge "The Gift of Friendship"
http://mitrafriant.typepad.com/impression_obsession_news/2014/08/impression-obsession-challenge-.html 
I used the following IO products.
DIE171-K Circle cut out border
DIE084-V wheat 
CL342 stamp set
 D5642 insect set 
DIE139-I insect die