Happy, Happy, Happy Retirement....overlapping ombre

Here with a quick card for Make it Monday #120 - Overlapping Ombre.  I am still making some retirement cards  for people to give to a special lady that is retiring at our school this week.  I decided to use this weeks technique for today's card.

You will notice that my "Happy" words are NOT overlapping.  I tried hard and have several tags to prove it but I kept just missing the overlap each time with this particular stamp.  When I looked at the tags I made this was actually my favorite so it is the one I used for my card.  On this one I put the lighter ink colors above and below the darkest color to draw the eye to the center of the tag and in turn to the "Happy Retirement" sentiment in black.  I am hoping to try this technique again to see if I can successfully overlap.  I must be "overlap" challenged!!! LOL!

Thanks for taking a look!
:) Jill

Supplies:
Stamps: Say it with Style, Mega Mixed Messages
Cardstock: White, Hawaiian Shores
Paper:  Digital wood paper
Inks:  Martha Stewart in blues and greens - stack; and Memento Tuxedo Black
Other:  Cheery Lynn Designs: Italian Flourish Doily Die, and Burlap Impression Plate.  Spray paint, tissue paper (doily is made from spray painted and dried tissue paper that was then die cut). Ribbon - RRR and vintage; button - PTI; hemp twine: MFT

A card for Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday #68: Pocket Cards

Hi everyone,
Today is my nephew Cole's birthday!  Happy Birthday Cole!  Hope this year is full of blessings and adventures as you graduate from high school and begin to follow your dreams where they lead you.  In honor of Cole's birthday I made a birthday pocket card for the Make it Monday challenge over at Nichole's blog: HERE 

I loved the cards that Heather made but I am always intimidated when it comes to stamping my own backgrounds.  I know, however, that the only way to get good at something is to practice, practice, practice.  So....today I tried to make my own pocket card background for Cole's birthday card.  I did more stamping on this card than, I think, any card I have ever made before....and there are lots of stamping problems with it...but you know what - I am not going to worry about it anymore.  I had a great time making it and I did my best and learned A LOT!!!!  A lot about what to do differently next time LOL!!!!!  I want to do another card so I can correct some of the mistakes I made with this one but I have lots to do today and then we are off to a party in Cole's honor so this card will have to do.

Anyway here are some pictures of Cole's birthday card....it was made with love for one of the most special people in my life - my sweet nephew!  Love you TONS Cole!

Thanks for taking a look at my card making endeavor today. Does anyone else struggle with stamping their own backgrounds ?   Just curious...  As long as I am having fun I am going to keep trying...and I always have fun getting inky!  I just realized I didn't use a single die cut on this card - wow it has been a long time since that has happened too!  Maybe too long!!! Ha Ha!

   I have all week to play so hopefully I will get to try this challenge again before the week is over! 

                                                                      : )   Jill