Penguins in Paradise Birthday Card

I LOVED the June release from My Favorite Things!!  I look forward to their new releases every month, but this one was so much fun.  There were so many stamp sets and dies that I liked it was really difficult to decide on what to buy!  I had some time this afternoon so I played with the Penguins in Paradise set.  I was drawn to the little guy with a beverage in his hand, he is so cute...but I wondered if I could make him look like he was holding something else.  I noticed that there was a balloon in the Happy Pandas set and decided to see if I could make that work.  I stamped the penguin on watercolor paper and used Peerless Watercolors to color him.  When I stamped the balloons I was really pleased to note that I could move the balloon string on my acrylic block so I could stamp it to look like a bunch of balloons!!  WooHoo...I'm going to be using that balloon a lot!  Here's how my card came out...

I made the background a few days ago using a technique I saw on Pinterest.  First you use a background stamp with Versamark Ink to make a pattern on watercolor paper (I used Canson Aquarelle) and emboss it with white EP.  Next you put Distress ink on your craft mat, spritz it with a little water and then rub your embossed piece into it...changing colors as you go until you are happy with how it looks!  The background stamp is Simply Circles from MFT.

Here is a close up...There was so much color in the background that I wanted to add more color to the main image so I stamped out 3 balloons on a separate piece of watercolor paper and added the little hibiscus flower randomly on each balloon.  When the card was finished I put Crystal Lacquer on the balloons to make them shiny.

I was having so much fun that I did a little scene for the inside of the card, too!

Here's one more pic.  I took it so I'm including it!!!

Thanks so much for visiting!  
Janet

Supplies Used:
Stamps: MFT Penguins in Paradise, Happy Pandas, Simply Circles Background
Cardstock: Canson Aquarelle Watercolor paper, Cougar Opaque White 80 lb, Stampin' Up     Pacific Point
Inks: Versafine Black, Distress Inks: Picked Raspberry, Squeezed Lemonade & Salty Ocean, Versamark Ink
Miscellaneous:  White embossing powder, embossing buddy, Heat gun, Peerless Watercolors, water brush, round paint brush, Crystal Lacquer