Color Throwdown #437: It's Your Special Day

Hi there! Today I'm sharing a card that I created for Color Throwdown #437 featuring a lovely Sunflower image by Stampendous.  So, for the  inspiration this week, Lori chose a pretty vase of tulips.  So perfect for spring don't you think?! 

I don't own any tulip stamps, or I might have chosen to do tulips, but I'm glad I didn't because I'm very pleased with the way that this turned out! 

First of all, I love this stamp!  It's so bright and happy, and that little ladybug is so sweet!  It just puts a smile on my face!  Secondly, sunflowers are my favorite flower.  I've never seen a sunflower that I didn't love!  I started out by heat embossing the image with black embossing powder onto watercolor cardstock.  I colored the image using a water brush and Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers.  The background is just a wash of mixed blues and greens from a Koi palette.  I used Simon Says Stamp stitched rectangle dies to cut out the panel and also the red gingham, which is from the My Favorite Things Tiny Check paper pad. 

The sentiment comes from the MFT Jungle Friends stamp set.  I think this one in particular works great for a birthday card!  I heat embossed it with Wow! Opaque Bright White embossing powder onto black cardstock, and then cut it out using one of the stitched label dies, also by My Favorite Things.  To finish it off, I adhered my panel onto a Nina Desert Storm card base, added some twine and popped my sentiment up with a bit of foam tape.  I didn't even need to add sequins!  Lol :D

Since the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is all about Birthdays this week, I'll be entering it there as well.  Now I'm off to work on some Easter cards and goodies for the kiddos!

Hugs!