CYCI #123 Challenge - Red, White, & Blue

This week's challenge over at Can You Case it? is Red, White, and Blue.
 Now normally when I think of those colors I think of something patriotic.  But this time I wanted to do something different an non-patriotic looking.   So I put on my creative thinking cap and came up with the following card:

 I started with a white 5x7 base card.  I then cut a piece of blue card stock to measure 4.75 x 6.75.  Using the edge embossing folder from the Anna Griffin "Bit of Paisley" Embossing set , I embossed down the right side of the blue.  It was then centered and glued onto the card. Next I cut a piece of white card stock 3 7/8 x 6.5".  Using my Martha Stewart Vintage Floral edge punch, I punched down the right side of the paper.  It was then embossed using the large Anna Griffin "Bit of Paisley" embossing folder and glued onto the blue paper 1/8th inch in from the left side and top and bottom of the blue mat.  Bird was cut using my Paper Artist "10 Tiny Things Plus Shadows" dies, cutting the shadow from red and the bird outline from blue card stock.  The cage is a Spellbinder's Birdcage 2 die, cut from red paper.  The "hello" was taken from my Sizzix  Scalloped with Banners and Greetings Drop Ins" die set.  I trimmed the Hello to leave just the underline and the word itself.  It was the only hello die I had and I am so glad I was able to make it work.

Flowers were created using flower dies from two different die sets.  The blue and red flowers were cut using the flower from the Spellbinder's Springtime die set.  The white inner flower petals were cut using the small flower that comes with the Our Daily Bread Easter Basket die set.  The flowers were shaped and glued together.  I didn't have any blue pearls so used white pearls and colored them with my Spectrum Noir TB9 Alcohol Marker.  For the red flowers and white lace edge, I used medium sized red flat back pearls.  The blue vines were created using the Stampin Up build a bird punch. 

Finally, I added some tiny white flat back pearls to the embossed arches along the right edge of the blue paper.

I really like how this card turned out.  I think I achieved my goal of creating a pretty, colorful card that does not look patriotic.  What do you think?

Why don't you stop by www.canyoucaseit.com and join in the challenge!  It is a lot of fun and we would love to see what wonderful ideas you come up with!

Keep playing with those papers!!!!

Jeanne