Seize the Birthday: Spring Fling

Hey, it's Thursday! Reminders like that can be helpful these days. :D Thursday also means it's time for a new Seize the Birthday challenge. It is my turn to pick the optional "topping", and it seemed like a good time for a Spring Fling - depending on where you live, it may have already sprung, you may still be waiting for it... or you may be into fall weather instead. But some spring colours or flowers or similar will maybe help brighten these strange times. 

My card was going to have daffodils on it. But as my teammate and friend Glenda said the other day on Instagram, our current times are mucking with my brain a bit. So while I could get my daffodils to layer properly, I was having little luck getting the stems and leaves to look right - and really regretting not having bought the matching dies for the set. :D Hence, my simpler card: 

Pussy willows totally qualify for a spring theme. Before I stamped and embossed the branch, I blended a little pale blue background for it. Using a warm grey Copic, I added a bit of colour to the bud scales at the base of each catkin, then coloured the catkins with a white glaze pen, both to cover the blue ink and to add a little texture to them. The sentiment (at least that worked form the daffodil set!) is embossed in a darker blue, and I added a trio of Studio Katia confetti sequins. There's also a little bit of patterned paper and a mat of warm grey cardstock to keep things from being too boring. ;) 

Inkspirational also says it's a perfect time to think spring, so I'll link my card there. Addicted to CAS is looking for texture; I have a little bit of texture (and possibly too many layers for their CAS definition?), but I'll try my luck there as well. 
Our surprise party guest Stef and the usual partygoers at Seize the Birthday have lots of springtime inspiration for you - hope you'll visit and join us! 

Supplies: Neenah white, Papertrey Ink smoky shadow & Hoo Arts blue layering cardstock, Memory Box Brioche patterned paper, Sunshine Designs Pussy Willow & Sunny Studio Stamps Daffodil Dreams stamps, Memento Luxe espresso truffle & Danube blue & tumbled glass distress ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Copic marker, Sakura Gelly Roll white glaze pen, Studio Katia sparkling sea confetti