Crabby Birthday

I've had to wait to post this until it was received by the receivee! It's her birthday today. Many happies, Lisa! So that means her birthday falls under Cancer, the Crab, astrologically-speaking. Obvs. Personally, I'm not into star signs and other mystical things, but I do find that the supposed characteristics of people born under certain 'signs' seem to be spookily accurate. Any road up, back to the craft stuff...

The background was made using a 'smoosh with acetate' technique that I saw on Hochanda a few weeks ago by Julie Hickey of Craftwork Cards. (TIP: Cut your smooshing acetate into a random shape, so that you don't get straight edges on your splodges. Unless you want them, of course.) 

I used Distress Oxide inks - Salty Ocean and Fossilised Amber.

The word panel is just a mocked-up dictionary definition, slightly raised on recycled cardboard (instead of foam pads). The sentiment was computer-generated, as well. Bit of gold thread wrapped around the front, and a shell from a boxful I bought some years ago. (I know better now.)

The beautiful crab image is one from a collection of images Lisa sent me for my birthday, and this one is by Art by Marlene. I coloured it with Koh-I-Noor pencils and used Zest-It oil and paper stumps to blend. I used a little bit of Stickles to add a tiny bit o' bling, and dots of white gel pen on the eyes, then fussy-cut it out. It is also raised on recycled cardboard. (It's my thing, now.)