Fruit and Flowers for a birthday

Look at me go today: first of all, I've managed to get my Facebook page up and running - and about time too I hear you say! I'd love it if you'd pop over and 'like' it. And second, I've come over all girlie and pink! It's all down to Dynamics Duos who have dug me out of my comfort zone with their latest colour challenge, Calypso Coral and Blushing Bride, with a little help from the ladies at Less is More who provided the fabulous sketch. Come and see:

The curved-cornered panel as been stamped with a design using Stampin' Up's Fruit and Flowers stamp set. When thinking about the sentiment banner I noticed that this beautiful hand-writing-style sentiment overlapped the panel and would work on its own for the sketch, so I stamped it first on the white layer and then, lining it up with my stamp-a-majig, on the floral panel.

It was quite hard to take a photo of that but this one gives you the general idea! When stamping a background like this, I like to add definition with the matching markers. I don't know if you can see but I added a shadow to the coral flowers using my Blushing Bride marker and darkened the side of the centres with the Calypso Coral pen before adding the pearls. It really does help the flowers to pop!

Here are the challenges I've been working from today:

Here's what you'll need to make this card
Stamps: Fruit and Flowers, A Word For You
Ink: Calypso Coral, Blushing Bride, Basic Grey
Card stock: Whisper White, Calypso Coral
Other: Markers, Basic Pearls, corner rounder, stamp-a-majig
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My daughter is deep into exams and driving lessons but is gamely trying to keep up with her chores. "That reminds me," she said guiltily at the weekend. "I must tidy up my habitación!" (She came over all Spanish at the end - something she often does as she seems to think language is best in 'pic 'n' mix' form!) "I know what that means!" said my youngest son smugly. "Know what what means?" said my daughter. "Tidy?!" For the record, I am the only member of this household that knows what 'tidy' means!

I have got something REALLY exciting to show you tomorrow and I can barely contain myself, so do come back and see!