ten candles and a cupcake

As you know clean and simple isn't really in my repertoire and believe it or not this card starting off being both clean and simple.  I got into a bit of trouble when I decided to borrow an idea from one of my craft enablers (you know who you are) to create the candles.

The background was created by inking painter's tape with distress inks (pumice stone, weathered wood, festive berries and worn lipstick).

I coloured Tim Holtz's cupcake (birthday blueprint) with markers and watercoloured distress inks.

And then I started working on the candles and my simple idea turned into something a bit more complicated (it's just in my nature). 

I die-cut the candles (poppystamps dies picket fence) and decorated each one individually using bits of scrap paper I had lying about.  

The foundational candle layer was die-cut out of sookwang.  The sookwang gave me an easy way to build up layers and to cover the flame with glitter ritz (sand).  I embellished with my trusty and well-loved black gelly roll.

I am entering my cupcake and candles card into Sweet Stamps' Monthly Technique Challenge: Painter's Tape Technique.

Soon to come:  Father's Day cards (yes, I know how late they are but consider them for inspiration for next year or a masculine birthday card), another attempt at a clean and simple birthday (teaser alert: not entirely successful) and, not one, but two memory books for retiring colleagues.