This Calls for a Celebration!

  

Die Cut Divas' challenge theme for this month is "Frame It." I created the frame for my card by die cutting an oval in a 4x5-1/4" panel of white cardstock with a Hero Arts "Nesting Oval Infinity" die. The design is based on the Wednesday Sketch Challenge #526 at My Favorite Things. I got the idea for the balloon bouquet from this card by Kristina Werner.

I used the round balloon images from Altenew's "Balloon Bunch" stamp set. I cut a 3-1/2" square of white cardstock, put it in my MISTI stamp positioning tool, & placed the first layer of the balloon in one corner. I stamped first with Lawn Fawn Ballet Slippers ink, rotated the cardstock, & stamped a second balloon with Altenew Soft Lilac ink. I repeated this with Lawn Fawn Peach Fuzz & Sunflower inks for a total of 4 balloons. I took another scrap of cardstock & stamped again with Hero Arts Tide Pool ink for my last balloon. Then I stamped the second layer for each balloon with Hero Arts Bubble Gum, Altenew Lavender Fields, Lawn Fawn Apricot, Simon Says Stamp Sunshine, & My Favorite Things Blu Raspberry inks. Because the balloon shapes in this set are simple, I didn't get the coordinating dies. So I fussy cut all the balloons.

For my background, I ink blended Cracked Pistachio, Tumbled Glass, & Spun Sugar Distress inks onto an A2-size panel of 140 lb. watercolor paper. I splattered on Champagne Gold & Light Gold watercolors from the Gansai Tambi Starry Colors set.

 

After I die cut the oval from my white panel, I placed the panel in my MISTI. I stamped the greeting, also from "Balloon Bunch," in Versamark ink & heat embossed it with Ranger Gold Super Fine Detail embossing powder.

I adhered my ink-blended background to a white card base, & tacked the frame piece down with a piece of painter's tape, just to hold it while I arranged my balloons. Once I had them placed like I wanted, I used a piece of Glad Press 'n Seal to pick up the balloon bunch as one unit. I added white crochet twine to the back of each balloon, using a bit of double-sided tape to hold the strings in place. I added liquid glue to the backs of the balloons & stuck them onto my background, then carefully peeled up the Press 'n Seal. I cut another piece of twine, & tied a bow around the balloon strings. To keep that secure, I added a small dollop of glue under the bow & clamped the strings in place with my cross-lock tweezers until the glue dried. Finally, I added my cardstock frame with foam tape, covering the ends of the strings, & glued on a few Darice Crystal sequins, as per the sketch.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: "Anything Goes"

613 Avenue Create's January Challenge: "Anything Goes"

Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"