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It's Friday already...can you believe it? Where do the weeks go...they literally ~ fly by...

Which leads me very nicely into today's card that I want to share with you all...

I made this card using Kanban's Birds of Paradise stamps which is a must buy for any stamping fanatic. There are two stamp sets in the kit and this card was made using the Peacock collection. I absolutely love birds and oriental bird cages, so for me...this was a must have and it works so perfectly with my birthday decorations that you can just see in the background.

As for the actual card, I wanted to make something that had a very elegant and stylish feel to it. So, I chose to use cream and black and build the card up from there and it shows exactly what you can do by keeping it simple and just using a beautiful image and paper. As a friend said to me yesterday, and I know exactly what they mean...when it comes to paper I could talk for hours. I'm fascinated by it. I love nothing more than to mix textures and shades and just see what happens...

So, what did I do? Using a Versafine ink pad in Black Onyx, I stamped different elements from the acrylic stamp set onto Bazzill card, used distress inks around the edge and combined this, with black lustre card and some matt black and cream papers. I wanted to create different textures, which would give some interest to what is in theory, a simple monochrome card. The message is from the Tim Holtz's ~ Shabby French rubber stamp set and again stamped onto Bazzill card. As a final touch, I added a tiny brad to look as if the bird cage is hanging from it and tied a small bow and adhered this to the easel card.

Together Forever

Another day and another card using some more of my favourite products of the moment ~ the Gorjuss Papercraft Collection by The Crafthouse Press.

There are so many elements within this wonderful new range and whatever you choose to work with, whether it be the decoupage, toppers or tags, you are guaranteed of a professional looking card. Here I chose to use a beautiful glittered edge topper from the "Tags and Toppers" pack and combined it with backing papers and other items that I already own.

First of all with a squared cream card blank, I made an easel card and shaped the corners with a corner punch. I then used some backing papers which co-ordinated with the image perfectly, cut these to size and matted and layered these onto the top and bottom section of the card. Then, using a flourish stamp, which I inked up with Versafine black ink, I stamped the flourish image onto the backing papers and then stamped and added a small bird to the swirl.

I adhered the Gorjuss topper using 3D foam onto the front section of the card and added a black pearlescent flower from Craftwork Cards, popped a small button in the centre and stuck this, slightly overlapping the image. The border strips are punched with a Martha Stewart border punch, I tied a piece of dotty organza ribbon around it and then adhered to the rest of the card.

As finishing touches, I added some small white sparkly adhesive stones and a greetings plaque from the pack, which acts as a lip to hold the front section in place, once the card is opened.

And finally...this is just one of the many chocolatey reasons as to why the gym is beckoning this week... but all I have to say is ~ wasn't it good, while it lasted!!