Everlasting Happiness

This card was inspired by a new stamp set I got on a real good sale.  It is from Hot Off the Press and is called "Far East".  I loved this little symbol and the idea of "Lasting Happiness".  I had a little leftover piece of this tan patterned paper (left over from the card I showed yesterday),  and I decided to see what it would look like if I stamped on it.  I've never been brave enough to stamp on anything but the most muted of patterned background papers, but had seen it done and decided to try it. 

First, I cut and embossed the piece with a Spellbinder's die and then shaded it a bit with ink and a make-up sponge.  Then I added my stamp in a dark brown.  I LOVE the way it looks in person!

I decided to use a dark brown embossed & cut background (one of Marianne's cut & emboss folders), so matted my focal on a piece of cream so it would show up better against the dark brown background.  I attached it with foam tape for added dimension and ease of seeing the cutouts in the background. I really like the way it turned out.

I decided to carry the look of the brown embossing and soft inking to the inside.  However, I decided to use a brown chalk for a more even tone.  This was the result.

The inside doesn't look finished, but I'm sure it will look great after I've stamped or written my message down the center using brown ink.