Even more cards (I didn't post) LOL

I know... You'd think I would just take the pics of the cards and post them right away but in the last month it just wasn't always possible so here I am with two more cards.
For this first card I had a tough time getting pictures - it didn't want to stay closed LOL.  The second pic will give you a better idea of the diecut feature. The black background is all one piece including the half circle. It was a little tricky getting that accomplished (the partial diecutting I mean) but it was worth it.
I don't know about you but for me -sometimes a card is born from a specific idea of what I want it to look like, or a stamp set that I want to use. But lately it's about techniques I wanna play with. Like in the case here. I was seeing all that ombre out there in the internet card-land. I think it is obvious I'm not too trendy LOL. I'm more of a classic kinda girl. Always have been. But I was liking the ombre. And everything old is new again now isn't it ;-) So I pulled out PTI's Polka Dot Basics stamps set and stamped a whole sheet of cardstock with some of the larger polkas. Oh yeah. In versamark. That was fun (like stamping in the dark!!!) Then I clear embossed those polkas. I grabbed some Aqua Mist ink and that Tim Holtz ink applicator with the foam - I hadn't played with that in quite some time. And I started inking up those polkas from bottom to top and left to right. The important part here is the left to right. Only going in one direction. If you click on the photo hopefully you'll see what I mean. It made the polkas 3D. They have a shadow on the right side and it just pops them right up. (it was a little squeal moment). So I became less intrigued with the ombre (which here is so very subtle) and more so with the 3D effect I was getting. I decided I had to work in a sentiment from PTI's Stylish Sentiments: Birthday and turn my little exercise into a birthday card.

I was going to post the other card but now I'm thinking that's enough for today LOL! I need to get a move on - busy week ahead. Big doings - graduation approaches and a side trip next weekend before the big day - very exciting. I'll tell you all about it soon.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a good one.