Hat pin or no?

German Phrase of the Day: Backst du gerne? = Do you like baking? (or literally translated it means Do you bake gladly?) I do bake gladly...but I try not to very often because I like to eat what I make - and that's never a good thing!!

Yesterday when I went upstairs to play, I planned on making a little mini card first to get warmed up...but then I got so caught up in making my tin I had to make that first. So...the mini card came second. I knew I wanted to use Carolyn King's new set Framed Flowers. I reached into my scrap drawer and magically pulled out a piece of 3 by 6 Blue Bayou cardstock, so that's how I picked my colors. First I stamped the frame, then I masked inside the frame and stamped all around with these wonderful flowers in Blue Bayou ink. Then, I cut a piece of white cardstock to fit inside the frame and inked the stamp with Soft Sky ink, then colored in the stems with my chocolate chip marker. After layering that on some chocolate chip cs I adhered it to my mini card and finished it off with a bit of gold cord. Isn't it cute?? Maybe I'll go back and add some sparkle with my clear spica glitter pen...just to the flower centers.

Next, I wanted to make a card with the Thinking of You set, designed by Gina's newest artist Rupa Shevde. I LOVE this set!! I really like the nice clean lines, and the elements included are all gorgeous! A true knock-out set! Since so many others on the design team were stamping these images on Fabriano cards, I had to try that too. I don't use my Fabriano cards as much as I should, I tend to save them for "special" occasions! Need to start using them! Wonder if I can pick any up in Venice cheaply next week...hhmmmmm!

Anyway...I stamped the hat boxes with Palette Noir ink and colored them in with my aquapainter and watercolor crayons. I really love all the little details on these boxes...although it does make coloring a bit of a challenge! I finished it up by stamping 'Miss You...' from the same set and adding some rust colored satin ribbon from May Arts. I tied it in a bow (as you see here) and snapped my pictures.

Then, last night I got to thinking...wouldn't this look cute with a hat pin from my SU! Pretties kit? So this morning when I finished my errands (had to go to the trink markt to get more wasser!) I put together a hat pin and change the bow to a simple knot. Which do you like better? I think I like the one with the hat pin best...but I'm not sure. I'm curious to hear all YOUR thoughts.

Supplies: (all supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Framed Flowers and Thinking of You from GinaK Designs
Ink: Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip, Palette Noir
CS: Stamper's Select White, Blue Bayou, Chocolate Chip, Fabriano notecard
Acc: aquapainter, WWC, May Arts satin ribbon, gold cord, SU! pretties kit

TFL!