Bird Birthday Wishes Card For Debs - Simply Stampin' #22 Sketch Challenge

I loved the sketch over at the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog when I checked it out last Saturday. I really wanted to make a card for the challenge and I knew exactly what stamp set I wanted to use. It's been a busy week though and as the days went by I thought I might run out of time and not get a card made! Anyway, I went up to my craft room today and spent some quality time with my SU! Always set - LOVE that set and the matching Always in Bloom wheel stamp!  Here's the fab sketch.

I've taken a few liberties with the sketch - I've made a square card, I've turned the sketch, I put my long strip over my patterned paper panel rather than under and I split up my 3 small circles. I like this sketch muchly and it lends itself rather well to being tweaked here and there I think!

This card is for our good friend Debs who loves birds!  My Early Espresso card base measures 5 3/4" square. I used some precious hoarded Sweet Always patterned paper. My birdie is standing on a punched grass border and he's popped up. The circle flower element is also popped up. I used the 'Birthday Wishes' sentiment from the Watercolor Trio set.

I then used the matching 'From the Heart' sentiment from the same set alongside the heart from the Always set for the inside of the card.  I stamped the heart on the white panel with Espresso ink, stamped the heart again on a separate piece of CS with Regal Rose ink and cut that out round the solid outline and glued it over the Espresso heart The border at the bottom is the Always in Bloom wheel stamped in Baja Breeze ink with Early Espresso lines added with a marker.  The envelope flap got a flower circle.

Because that wheel is just so pretty I couldn't resist stamping it on the front of the envelope as well!  I've added a strip of Early Espresso CS.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Always set, SU! Always in Bloom wheel stamp, SU! Watercolor Trio set
CS: SU! Early Espresso, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz, Pink Pirouette & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! Sweet Always Designer Series Paper pack
Ink: SU! Early Espresso, Regal Rose & Baja Breeze
Tools: Square & petite oval Nestabilities dies, circle punches, Martha Stewart Grass border punch
Embellishments & accessories: clear Swarovski crystals, 3d foam pads