Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps! I LOVE LOVE LOVE their vintage oh so Victorian images!! This card started out as my March Christmas card for the Christmas card challenge over at Splitcoaststampers.

But somewhere it took a turn. I think it may have been the Springy green ink. In any case it just didn’t feel like Winter to me. So it became a birthday card. I have 4 sisters, 2 sisters-in-law, 2 daughters-in-law and 2 granddaughters. So it’s always nice to have some feminine birthday cards on hand.

This card is only one layer (not counting the Ruby Red card base). I first stamped the pole and hanging basket and bird on Very Vanilla card stock. Using a template I cut the oval out of a sturdier card stock. This gives you a “frame” with an oval opening. Using this frame placed over the Very Vanilla stamped piece, I sponged with Ruby Red around the oval shape in the frame. Then I took the oval itself and placed it over the sponged oval area. I then sponged in Certainly Celery on the outer portions of the Very Vanilla piece. The faux stitching around the oval shape helps to hide any imperfections that may result from the sponging. It also helps to define the oval. The corners were stamped in Ruby Red and “joined” by more faux stitching. There’s a little coloring with markers in Certainly Celery, Ruby Red, Rose Red, Yoyo Yellow and Garden Green. I added some pearls and Primas with Stickles. All stamps are Clear Art Stamps from Crafty Secrets.

Now back to the drawing board for that March Christmas card challenge!