This card is what is known in stamping circles as a BRAK - Birthday Random Act of Kindness. (Not to be confused with the BRAK diet [bananas, rice, applesauce and kielbasa***], to be fed to children after a tummy upset to ease their little g-i tracts back to health.)
It's not really random, though, as it's from my mother, who was fairly instrumental in me having a birthday at all. I suppose my birthday could be considered a random event in the cosmic scheme of things (or not, depending on your theological leanings), but this card was a custom-made treasure, just for me and the farthest thing from random you can get!
As for the card itself, a little stamping-scene investigation reveals that it is a lovely floral swirl (a new one from the Stamp Barn), stamped and embossed in gold, and coloured with Twinkling H20's. It's stamped on pale blue paper, which has been sponged around the edges and matted on black. The perfect ribbon from the stash (pale blue with gold edge) is tied in a darling bow for accent. The whole piece is layered on the most gorgeous Japanese paper (washi? yuzen?). This paper is so beautiful that I could never in a million years have sacrificed a whole quarter sheet for one card. This is why I know my mother loves me and this card is the farthest from random you can get!
Thanks Mum! I love it!
***This is not medical advice. I am not a physician. I'm not even all that funny. And where I'm from, it's koubassa, not kielbasa, as in koobie on a bun! What is with these Ontarians and their weird sausage appellations.....
Public Service Announcement in case I have a reader from Australia:
Platypus Creek has a big sale on right now (till 22 Jul) on Sunshine Designs and Stamp Barn Stamps (50% off wood mounted and 10% off cling), and other things too. Kinda neat to think of stamps from my neck of the woods being stamped with on the other side of the world. Makes me want to dash off to Australia for the sale, except that my friend told me it takes 29 hours. So not really a dash. As my dad likes to say, "If you're going there, you shouldn't be starting from here."
Glad to hear you like the card -- it can be a challenge making one for such a gifted stamper as yourself!
ReplyDeleteJust for the record, I used Smooch (blue) and watercolor pencils (the greeens) not Twinklings, and the mat is Night of Navy like the card base, but I don't know the colour name of the pale blue paper, there are too many possibilities in my drawer.
The oriental paper was bought in a little shop in Victoria, BC, on a shopping expedition with AP. We split the only available sheet of this pattern, and having only a half sheet to begin with, I've been hoarding it for far too long. I knew you'd like the paper and it was just the right design to go with the new swirl stamp from Heather's, That purchase is itself a happy memory of the class we took together that day.
And you're right, it arrives with lots of love :-)
WOW Karen, I am jealous, what a wonderful thing to share with your Mom you are very lucky. I hope I didn't forget your birthday, and if I did, Happy Belated, looking forward to you coming over for some more fun!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card!
Well I'm glad to know all your talent didn't just come out of the blue. You've been blessed with really really good card making genes. The card is lovely. What a measure of love - that lovely paper. I'm glad you're around to have birthdays. You certainly add a smile or a guffaw to many of my days. - Nimmy
ReplyDeleteI can't get over how hard you worked to do all the wonderful details for the cards...they are truly amazing!
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