Variations Inspired by Birgit

Y'all, Birgit (biggan of Splitcoast fame) has long inspired me with her clean and artsy style, and when I saw THIS PIN, I knew it was hers before even glancing at the signature. It inspired both my cards for today.

Here's the meandering path my stream of consciousness flowed.

Oh, the medieval manuscript background is sitting out on my baker's rack. Maybe I should do something sort of Celtic; after all, it's March, the month of St. Patrick's Day. What does my Pinterest Cards board have to inspire me?

Oh, wow! Birgit! That's perfect! But no, I can't make a tall, thin card because if these end up in Karen's Card Shop, I won't have a cellophane envelope to fit it. So scale will have to change. That's fine. And no buttons because, well, I don't do buttons. But if I go Celtic, I can use that PSX Celtic cross stamp, and oh boy is it a pretty one that doesn't need a button.

Sponging is fun with these Tim Holtz mini blending tools! My, how easy this is to put down some rich color. Background done, now start on the cross. Hmmm. Needs more definition. Oh, no. That dark brown is too dark. The cross looks dreary now. Try again. Oh, yes! That's much better! Assemble and see if it works. Make sure background is trimmed so one third is stamped, two thirds are white. Layer the cross so one third covers the stamped background and two thirds are over the white.

Rule of thirds squared!

That's more math than my middle-aged brain can handle, actually.

Oh, yes! A bling in the center of the cross draws the eye perfectly. And it's sort of St. Paddy-ish with the hints of green, or maybe an Easter card? Whichever. I like it!

Hmm. It's got lots of white, but might something without sponging be more Lateblossom-y? Let's look at my ink colors. Oh, yes! Sea glass would be lovely with the background stamp, and maybe ocean depth for the cross. Let's try taking our third for the background from the bottom rather than the left. Maybe that would look more grounded.

Dang it. Residue from the brown ink contaminated the sea glass. Ugh. Where's my Grandma's Stamp Cleaner. There it is. *squirt, squirt, wipe, wipe, ink, ink* Much better! Oh how I love the cross stamped in Versamagic ocean depth!

Time to put it all together. Add a bling. Wow, that doesn't look much like Birgit's inspiration card, but man, I sure like it a lot. The fresh, spring-like colors would make a nice Easter card. Yay!

 
And there you have it. Variations inspired by the brilliant and oh-so-talented Birgit.

Thank you, Birgit, for such a fun and beautiful inspiration card!

Supplies
stamps: PSX (cross) and Judikins (background)
paper: Papertrey white
ink: Top Card: Archival fern, coffee; Bottom Card: Versamagic ocean depth, Avery Elle sea glass
accessories: craft foam, glue, rhinestones