Fanciful Flourishes Warmest Wishes Birthday Card - House Of Cards July Photo Challenge

As there is a 5th week in July we are having a photo and any style goes challenge over at House of Cards.  Here's the inspiration photo.

 

I make cards along with the Cute and Fun and Classic and Elegant DTs at House of Cards so I could have made a card in either of those styles.  I chose Classic and Elegant as the photo lent itself more to that style in my view.  I've taken the orange wall with the gold leafy flourishes, the oval shape of the chair back plus the dark brown and white colours as the elements to use on my card.

I started by blending Distress Inks (Mustard Seed, Wild Honey and Spiced Marmalade) onto a piece of white CS and then I decided to try water stamping.  I spritzed the background stamp fairly liberally with water and stamped on top of my inked piece - wow, what a great effect!  I die cut the inked piece into an oval shape and added an Early Espresso mat oval.  I cut a white square panel, layered it onto a gold mirri card mat and adhered the oval.  I altered the colour of my lace ribbon by taping the length of ribbon down and brayering Wild Honey and Spiced Marmalade inks over the top.  I attached the ribbon and glued the panel to a 5 3/4" square Early Espresso card base.  I then die cut a Fanciful Flourish and Mini Fanciful Flourish from gold mirri card and glued those to the oval.  I loved the water stamping effect so I sponged another piece of white CS with the Distress Inks, water stamped the background and punched three flower shapes.  I edged each flower with Spiced Marmalade ink and attached the three flower layers together with a gold brad.  I popped up the sentiment and added the flower to the ribbon strip.  I punched two Espresso photo corners and a few flowers.  I shaped each flower and added gold nailheads to the centres to complete the card front.

 

Here's a close up photo of the water stamping - I love this effect!

For the inside of the card I cut a white panel, stamped the sentiment and grabbed the negative piece of gold mirri CS left over from die cutting the large flourish and used it as a stencil.  I sponged Mustard Seed, Wild Honey and Spiced Marmalade inks through the stencil and added more punched Espresso flowers. I sponged another piece of white CS with the Distress Inks, die cut the Mini Fanciful Flourish, glued it to the envelope flap and added another Espresso flower.

 

I'm not that keen on orange as a rule but I'm happy how this card turned out and I really enjoyed making this card even though I ended up with VERY inky hands!  

There will be inspiration on the House of Cards challenge blog throughout the week from the different style Design Teams. A different card style will be featured from Tuesday through to Friday as follows:

• Cute & Fun on Tuesday
• CAS on Wednesday
• Classic & Elegant on Thursday
• Shabby & Vintage on Friday

Please remember to check out all those lovely cards!  I'd love to visit your blogs to see your interpretations of the inspiration photo so I do hope you'll play along with us at House of Cards this week - everyone is welcome at our House!

REMINDER:  there's still time to enter our House of Cards giveaway, just a couple more days though, so if you'd like to be in with a chance of getting some crafty goodies you need to get your entries in pronto!  We have three giveaways based on region so make sure you link up to the correct giveaway for your part of the world.   Click HERE to get all the details and to enter.  Good luck!

Supplies:
Stamps: Penny Black 'Delicate Pattern' background stamp, SU! 'Blooming with Kindness' set, Hobby Art 'Sentiments' clear set
CS: SU! Early Espresso & Whisper White, thick white CS, gold mirri CS
Ink: Tim Holtz Ranger Mustard Seed, Wild Honey & Spiced Marmalade Distress Inks, SU! Early Espresso
Tools: Petite Oval Nestabilities dies, Cheery Lynn 'Fanciful Flourish' & 'Mini Fanciful Flourish' dies, SU! Boho Blossoms & Photo Corners punches, Ranger ink applicator tools & blending sponges, craft mat, water spritzer bottle, brayer, paper piercer, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories:  SU! Chantilly crochet trim, gold brad, gold nailheads, Dimensionals