Sentimental Sundays #178: Happy Birthday - Monochromatic

I can't believe today is Halloween...this year is flying by!

It seems as if I am slowly gaining some creative momentum. Definitely not as quickly as I would like, but getting back into the habit of making stuff is like anything else...you gotta get on the bike and put in some time & effort! So here I am...more often than not a little frustrated, but making magical messy mayhem a card at a time!

This week's challenge at the Sentimental Sundays Challenge Blog is Monochromatic Birthday. (Hurry! This challenge ends Saturday evening!) One of my favorite card challenges. Monochromatic can be CAS or lots of layers - whatever you like best.

I decided it would be Clean and Simple.

Lighting here is so different. Decided it was better to get an ok photo up rather than no photo!

The biggest issue I've had with moving is trying to figure out how to organize my stamps. Most of them are still in the packing boxes, so finding anything is a pain! Lucky for me, these stamps were on top...(of course, maybe because one of them was bought in the last few months! lol)

This photo does not do the card justice! The base is SU! Very Vanilla...so much prettier IRL.

The steps were pretty easy. I wanted to layer stamps instead of papers, so I went through my ink pads and found all my purples/lavenders/purple-ish colors. Apparently, I like these colors! I used a piece of printer paper to practice stamping the layers to make sure one color wouldn't overpower another. I ended up with three.

1. Inked up the 'woodgrain' first using SU! Perfect Plum, stamped off (to get a lighter image) and then stamped on my designer paper.

2. Inked up the flowers using Versamark Watermark ink, then immediately after inked up with SU! Elegant Eggplant and then stamped over the woodgrain. Cover with clear embossing powder and melt.

3. The sentiment is inked in Dusty Concord Distress Ink and clear embossed.

4. Lay out the paper pieces. Adhere the purple strip to the card base. Adhere the stamped designer paper panel using foam.

That's it.

I've already made plans to use this design for sympathy cards. Monochromatic, understated without being dreary, duplicatable in any color scheme. Perfect card for those times when it's hard to know what to say.

Here are a few challenges I'd like to enter this card into:

Oozak - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps - CAS

Whimsy Stamps Inspirations #65- Anything Goes

Inky hugs,

Angi

Supplies
Stamps: Stampin' Up! Serene Silhouettes, Truly Grateful, Afterthoughts (Hostess Set)
Paper: designer paper from my scraps; Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla cardstock, Elegant Eggplant cardstock
Ink: Stampin' Up! Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant; Tim Holtz Dusty Concord