Two cards ............

........ but I am only going to show you one today & will save the other for tomorrow - just in case I don't get any more done.

I saved an article from a Craft Stamper magazine sometime back - when they were doing a series on One Layer Cards & I rather liked the image they had produced.  I quite often do One Layer cards - but this is a little different. So this card today was to replicate it slightly;

I masked off a rectangular area just bellow the central point & used Distress Inks to colour the panel.  I started with Mustard Seed, then Spiced Marmalade & then finally a little touch of Fired Brick. Then, while the ink was still damp I used the eraser on the end of a pencil dipped in water to place some spots on the panel, then when dabbed with a tissue it removes the ink showing colours underneath.  To create a little more texture I also lightly spritzed the panel with water & dabbed that off too.

The stamping was done using Versafine Black Onyx ink & a stamp from Clearly Besotted.  The card that inspired me in the article had 3 long stemmed flowers off to one side.  When I chose my leaf spray & stamped the first image it became the only image as I didn't have anything that would really sit well with the spray.  After a little thought I decided to pad the design out with the little butterfly & so was able to create that flow from bottom right up towards top left.  The Happy Birthday is a stamp I have had since day one of my stamping & the company is no longer in business.  A few apricot coloured gems added a little bling.

This is one of those clean & simple cards - there are always birthdays where CAS is best.  

That's me for tonight - I am off to bed now.  Sleep well - good night.