Truly Scrumptious Challenge #10 & Charisma Cardz Challenge #25

This is the first time I've entered either of these challenges: The Challenge at Truly Scrumptious this week is to use Sharon's great sketch and also to use some neglected stash. I was playing with some new stash, the Retro Vases stamp plate from Elusive Images, when I used some very old and very neglected stash - one of some tiny pigment ink pads that I bought before I even knew there were stamp shops :). I'm also entering my card for Charisma Cardz' any theme challenge; the sponsor rubbernecker is allowing up to four entries, so here's #1 :), I wonder how many more I'll get done...

I wanted to make a glossy vase for the flowers and as I don't have lots of colours of pigment ink I went back to the old ink to use to clear emboss. The ink was very poor quality and the glimmer misted background showed through very badly. So I added more embossing powder - twice - until I got a thick, glossy vase that you can just see the background through - like a real vase. I stamped a bit of a shadowe under the vase and added some of the flowers to it. The vase has crackled slightly and it looks much better in real life than in the photo :). I used another Elusive Images stamp for the sentiment.

The DP is Que Sera Sera from K&K. I've gold embossed the sentiment onto it and also two more flowers from the themeplate, which I've cut round and mounted on foam pads. There are a lot of different colours going on on this card, but that's just how the garden is in June :). It's been a busy but fun few days, more creative blogging tomorrow...