Birthday Balloons

The SCS Tuesday Color Challenge was an off the wall color combination. Whew!! I love the colors Orchid Opulence, So Saffron and Cameo Coral, but who would think to use them together?  I knew I had to make an attempt especially since my Monday post was an "invitational challenge" to everyone to join in the challenges to develop their technical skills and to experience creative growth.  Hmmmmm!  Why do these things always come back to bite us in the fanny? On top of this color challenge dilemma, I really wanted to play in the Holiday Challenge Extravaganza and combine the challenges on one project.  Jimmi's (jpmayo) fun challenge, As Easy as 1,2,3 was not as fast and easy as it sounded. She challenged us to make a fast birthday card that would be easy to do while being so busy preparing for the holiday. 

Here are Jimmi's challenge requirements:

Make a BIRTHDAY CARD with the following requirements:

1. One Piece of Designer Paper (if you don't have any you can make your own using stamps!)
2.Two Colors of Cardstock Only (not counting 1 neutral)
3. Use Three Punches on Your Card
 RIBBON can be your ONLY embellishment

After giving thought to combining these challenges I decided nothing would be cuter using these colors than an image designed for Whipper Snapper by Anna Wight-Delivering Balloons. You can never really go wrong wit brightly colored balloons and an orchid delivery van.

My next challenge was to create my own designer paper as I didn't have any that would fit the bill for these colors.  I dusted off my retired Stampin' Up! plaid maker and used glossy white paper.I used all three colors but wanted them to be muted so allow the balloons and car images to really pop and be the main focal point of the project.  I stamped the car and balloon image on watercolor paper and stamped the balloons a second time to allow me to cut a few extra to pop up.  I colored with watery reinkers and a brush and cut the images out. I sponged versa directly on all the images and embossed with clear embossing powder for lots of shine on both the van and balloons. I really don't think it shows in the photo. I created the sentiment tag using the retired Stampin' Up! Nice & Easy Notes.  The little sentiment was originally all on one line so I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to place the words one over the other and then cut out with a Nestabilities small tag.  I used larger Nestabilities tags to create the layer under the van. They were also embossed using versa and clear embossing powder as well as the main orchid card base. I wanted everything to shine. I created the saffon crimped layer to place under the main images to add a little interest and then assembled the card and by attaching the van and popped up balloons.  I used a black glaze pen to draw the balloon strings and extending them from the original car image out to the balloons. I thought the trailing ribbon pulling the sentiment would be the perfect finishing touch. I attached each little curled section of ribbon using glue dots to hold it in place.  

This was a really fun project and I especially loved challenging myself to move out of my "watercolored scene box" comfort zone and creating a card that allows the images to stand totally on their own.  

Stamps:  Whipper Snapper Delivering Balloons, Nice & Easy Notes (retired Stampin' Up!

Paper:  Glossy White, Watercolor, Orchid, Saffron

Ink:  Black Craft, Saffron, Orchid, Coral pads and reinkers

Accessories:  Crimper, Nestabilities, Snips, Glue Dots, Grosgrain, Versa, Clear Embossing Powder, Plaid Maker, non SU Plaid Maker, Corner Punch