A Bright Happy Birthday!

Hi!

Last Friday was my Sister-in-Law's Birthday and, as she was the person who inspired me to start making cards I couldn't let her down with a shop-bought card, could I ...? So here is the card I made for her:

This card layout is a sketch challenge over at Catch the Bug and proved to be a challenge for me as I've don't think I've ever really got to grips fully with matting and layering. However I love this layout, and I can see it's one that I will use many times as it's very versatile.

My Card Recipe is as follows:

• Base card - embossed snow white card (250gsm) purchased from a local independent craft shop, and cut and folded to a 15cm (6 inch) square
• Red Mat and Layer card - sooooo old, I think I bought it in the mid 1990s (from a local independent photocopy shop which has probably long since gone) for a Wide Game for Guides!
• White Mat and Layer card - my favourite Centura Pearl Snow White 300gsm which I embossed using 2 different sizes of flowers on the embossing board Springtime Sweets & Cupcakes Treats with my Ultimate Pro - all from Crafter's Companion (one of my fave places!)
• Design Paper and Sentiment are both from Create With TLC (my other most favourite place!) The paper is called Birthday Candy Paper 12 which is a goodie from The February Club. If you're really quick, you could join the club as Paulette has very generously opened it to new members for a few hours more -click here to read about it and, I can promise you, you will not be disappointed with the mail-outs. The sentiment is a TLC freebie which was offered on a blog challenge last month that Paulette was sponsoring.
• Image is called Girl in Pretty Dress and she is a Jellypark digistamp, although I'm not sure she's available in the store (plenty more gorgeous images there to tempt you though!) Claire from Jellypark offered her as a freebie image for a challenge she was sponsoring in The Crafter's Cafe December 2012 Open House. To bring this little cutie to life, I've used my Spectrum Noirs in the following colours:
• Skin - 135, 196, 137
• Hair - 104, 100
• Hairband - 11, 12
• Dress - 11, 35, 33
• Shoes - 96, 91
• Outline - CG1
• Design finished with 3 small pieces of Bling from my crafty stash - I think I've now been making cards long enough to be able to say that now! And, that feels good :o)!!!!

I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:

• Stella Says Sketch! at Catch The Bug Challenge Blog
• Old Year/New Year Challenge at Jellypark Challenges - Something old is the red mat & layer card & something new is my digistamp.
• Challenge #102 "Somthing New" at Fab 'n' Funky Challenges - Something new is my digistamp
• Simon Says ... New Something at Simon Says Stamp! Challenge - Something new is my digistamp
• Happy New Year at Card Makin' Mamas - Showing off my new digistamp
• Challenge #198 "What's New" at Cute Card Thursday - My digistamp is new
• Challenge #34 "Anything (Something Old, Something New) Goes" at Digistamps4Joy - Something old is the red mat & layer card & something new is my digistamp.
• January Anything Goes at Catch The Bug Challenge Blog
• Challenge #38 "Something New" at My Mum's Craft Shop Challenges - Something new is my digistamp
• Challenge #51 "Anything Goes Using Your New Stash" at Ladybug Crafts Ink Challenge - My new stash is my digistamp and design papers
• Birthday Projects at The Stamping Boutique Challenge

The wonderful Paulette at TLC has also showcased my card in one of her Creations Posts. Thanks Paulette!

Hugs, Helen x