UDI Inspiration Challenge - Daffodil with Pizazz!

Hello stamping friends! Yes, I am SO aware that it's Thursday and I haven't posted a new project for you since last Friday night! I have been up to my eyeballs in cleaning out the stamp studio getting ready for my big sale this Saturday - I've barely even had time to stamp! I did have two small classes on Tuesday, but besides that, the dust has been flyin', not the ink! Believe me, I've missed sharing my life with you on here. There is something slightly theraputic for me when I write to you about the comings and goings in the Merriman household. Maybe it makes my oh, so crazy life seem almost normal. I don't know, maybe it's just that it helps me see the joy in my everyday life more clearly, because, truly, isn't there more joy than struggle when we get right down to it?

This week's inspiration photo reminded me of that. I love the bright, flowering branch against the misty background. The clarity of the flowers really spoke to me and I knew right away what I wanted to do for my project. Here is the inspiration photo:

And here is my card:

I actually cased myself from a card that I'd cased from a swap from last convention! Got that? That's like trying to follow someone else's family tree! :)

See how the white flowers just pop off of the card front? Well, that's because they do, literally pop off the page! I took a piece of Whisper White cardstock and ran it through my Big Shot with the Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder. Yes, I said Whisper White - I used my Brayer and rolled the new Daffodil Delight ink on the debossed side of the folder before adding my white cardstock. When it goes through the Big Shot, the ink transfers to the front of the cardstock, leaving white flowers against an inked background. Isn't that cool?!
It's not a new trick, but it still makes me go WOW every time!

Once I had my colored, embossed piece, I used my new Pear Pizazz Stampin' Write marker to color in the flower centers before mounting the cardstock piece on a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock. The greeting, from the new Hostess Set Because I Care, was stamped in Chocolate Chip ink in the lower right corner.

I then added my ribbons, Chocolate Chip 5/8" Grosgrain and NEW Daffodil Delight 1/8" Taffeta around the panels, securing them on the back .
I made the bow using my bow technique found in this video tutorial here.

The card base itself is made of Pear Pizzazz cardstock and I mounted the focal panels on it with my favorite Stampin' Dimensionals. (At stamp camp last night one of the cards used 9 dimensionals and my friend Cathy just looked at me and said "Is that all?" Yes, she is a riot!)

So that's it for this card, pretty simple, but I think it captures the essence of the photo perfectly and I really like the retro look of these colors together too. I hope you like it - leave me a comment and let me know what you think, ok?
Then be sure to visit the UDI Blog and see what the other design team members created!

If you are local to me, you won't want to miss my Huge Paper Crafters Heaven Sale this Saturday morning from 10 am - 1 pm. See this post here for more details, but suffice it to say, I could probably open up a small scrapbook store with all the stuff I have! You won't be disappointed and it is priced to go!

And since I am achingly close to earning the Stampin' Up! Alaska Cruise, I'm offering a reward to all who place a $50 order with me through the end of the month! Each $50 order earns you a prize from my Stampin' Up! Goodie Basket. I have stamp sets, DSP, Ribbons, Ink Pads, Rub-Ons, really a Plethora of Products and you get one FREE for each $50 you order! I need another 50 or so $50 orders and I'll be able to take my hubby Mark on his dream vacation to Alaska. He's always wanted to go there and it's always been out of our budget. And making it even more special, the cruise next year is over my birthday! It would be so cool (no pun intended!) to be able to celebrate there!
Thanks in advance for any orders you'll be placing with me - you are awesome!

Have a blessed day!
~~Robin