Image inspired thanks

I loved Hand Stamped Sentiments inspiration image for challenge #322:

I was particularly drawn to the bottom image, and it started me wondering how I might achieve a similar look. The result was definitely floral, so I decided to enter it in The Flower Challenge's #36: Anything Goes, as well. 

For the background pale card, I started with Whisper White, lightly stamped in Sahara Sand, then clear embossed over the images. I finished by very gently sponging a little Sahara Sand over the card, to remove the pristine white. For the larger, pink/red background, I clear embossed the images and then sponged in Merry Merlot and Rococo Rose. I stamped and sponged white card and then die cut the sentiment, die cutting it also in Early Espresso as a backing. 

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up! card, (Whisper White, Early Espresso, Merry Merlot), ink, (Rococo Rose, Sahara Sand, Merry Merlot), Seasoned with Kindness stamps, Well Written dies.

Other: Sizzix Small Tattered Floral dies, Versamark watermark ink, francheville rhinestones. 

Best Wishes Flowers

When I saw As You See It's inspiration photo for challenge 202, I was struck by how the flowers glowed against the dark background.

Luckily, Just Add Ink's #460 - 'Emboss Resist' - reminded me of this technique. Serendipitously, (is that a word? I meant by a happy coincidence...) The Flower Challenge's #33 was to focus on backgrounds - so I've combined these three challenges in this card. I tried to get a different amount of clear embossing powder in the centre of each flower, by using a light touch with the fill-in colour stamp, after using the outline - I didn't want it too neat and tidy.

Ingredients: Stampin' Up card (Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Mossy Meadow, Whisper White), ink (Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Mossy Meadow, and Memento Black), Rectangle Stitched Framelits, stamps (Petal Palette for the sentiment, and Garden in Bloom), clear embossing powder, Nature's Twine in Calypso Coral, Versamark ink.