Warm & Wonderful

While the tulip photographed with more subtlety than it has in real life, I had fun giving the background more emphasis than it usually gets.  Full disclosure:  I wasn’t planning on this effect at all!  I backed into this one for sure, and it took awhile to really see it . . .

   

 . . . part of my artistic journey involves facing the fact that I am too often marching in lockstep with the same design rules used over and over again.   The word “rut” probably describes this very well.  For example, the focal point is always supposed to be emphasized and the background is supposed to recede – right?  Well, maybe not!  At first, I wasn’t sure that having the background pretty much be the focal point actually worked, but I’ve decided I rather liked the misty pale look of the tulip and am keeping the layout just as it is.  After all, this is for an early Spring birthday and frosty mornings certainly go with that territory!

I think I’ll reverse the rules a little more often in future . . .

Cardstock:         Generic Light Blue, Beckett Moonlight

Stamps:              Stampin’ Up Happy Birthday Greetings Background,

                                Magenta Tulip

Inks:                    VersaMark Clear, VersaColor Baby Blue, Gelly Roll Clear Star

Color Pencils:    Prisma Nectar, Slate Blue

Emb Powder:    Judikins Pastel*

Dies/Punches:   Spellbinders Scalloped Rectangle, 1/8” Corner Punch

Doo Dads:          Grosgrain Ribbon Peach, Mark Richards Star Crystal Stickers

* This stuff is amazing!  The name “Pastel” doesn’t do it justice at all:  I think it should be named “Pearl” because that’s exactly what it is . . . a lustrous and shimmering beauty that works over any color.