Notably Ornate birthday frame

Good morning! It's a gorgeous sunny morning here in Buckingham and I've had a lovely time creating a card for the Less is More challenge while listening to a lively chess game going on between my husband and youngest son. Now that's entertainment!

Chrissie and Mandi have come up with another fabulous challenge this week - to make a one-layer card featuring a frame. I get so excited about these challenges and usually spend ages thinking about them but this week I knew exactly what to do. Come and see!

As you can see, I've taken the challenge very literally and used this gorgeous frame from the Notably Ornate set! I stamped the frame onto a piece of scrap paper and cut the centre away to make a mask - quite fiddly but, let's face it, once it's done you never have to do it again!

I used it to frame one of my favourite little sponged scenes. I have been wanting to do this with the frame for ages! Do you like those little birds? Guess where they come from...

...They're from the Sail Away single stamp and were so easy to add just where I wanted them using my stamp-a-majig!

This photo was taken in the sunlight to show how shiny the frame is! I looked at the frame long and hard, wondering whether to add bling and decided not to because I didn't want to detract from the scene.

Here's how to make this card:

• Cut a 10.5cm x 21cm piece of Very Vanilla card stock. Score and fold in half to make a card base.
• 'Colour' the frame part of the stamp with a versamark pen. Stamp the image onto the card front and heat emboss with gold embossing powder. Colour the frame with a River rock marker.
• Holding the mask (as described above) over the image, sponge Bashful Blue and Pear Pizazz in the aperture and stamp a floral scene. I used Pocket Silhouettes leaves and this gorgeous flower from the Silhouette Sentiments hostess set, which I think looks fabulous in Pacific Point ink.
• Add some birds and a sentiment using a stamp-a-majig and it's done!

Supplies
Stamps: Notably Ornate, Pocket Silhouettes, Silhouette Sentiments (hostess set), Sail Away
Ink: Bashful Blue, Pear Pizazz, Basic Black
Card stock: Very Vanilla
Other: Markers, gold embossing powder

Thankfully the chess match is over with my son, who is a bit of an expert, emerging the winner. I'm rather relieved it's over actually as I'm not sure if my ears could've taken much more of that! The professionals seem to play chess quite silently whereas this game was more like a football match!

I'm off to do my chores now but I'm looking forward to seeing what you've been up to later on this evening. Thanks for visiting me and have a lovely weekend,