Cerulean birthday

I've managed to squeeze in a few minutes here and there for my catharsis (creative time), but since I don't have much time with the kiddos home, I needed to focus on the cards I need -- birthday and thanks! I figure anyone looking at my little blog is beginning to notice this pattern. I look at those beautiful, ornate "hello" or "just thinking" cards out there with time envy -- who has time to write one of those to a friend?! Perhaps in my next stage of life... Instead, here is a CAS birthday card I came up with.

It started when I wanted to play with my new "Birthday" die set from Memory Box. What came next was one of my many lessons in unforeseen consequences as I start out on this card-making hobby! Surprise one: the letters all came out separately (did I mention I'm new?), which gave me a small start after I cut them. I overcame that with some grid paper and a piece of washi tape to help me line them up.  Surprise two: the set had no "happy." The only such stamp I had was a block print that did not go very well with the blocked birthday. SO now I had to stop production and go find a scripty "happy." (Little B by the way)...

Phew. All that and all I have is my sentiment. From here it got back to being CAS for me! I used My Favorite Things Blueprints 13 to cut the stitched rectangle panel, then used an Impression Obsession cloud die cut to mask clouds on with Tim Holtz tumbled glass distress ink. I used other such inks to sponge small sections from which I punched the balloons then added the twine. I chose the balloon colors to go with a the Citrus with a Twist challenge at Simon Says Monday (think lime, pink grapefruit and lemon). The green folder seemed to set the panel off the best, and then I was at last done, on what looked like and should have been a very fast card. Lessons learned! ;-)

This week, I'm competing in the CCNS Challenge #98, a color challenge, and I hope you join me!