i've been very tired lately and had no real energy for gimping, so my oldest sister's birthday card got sadly neglected. i did have an idea, but didn't work on it for more than a few minutes in a row, it felt like such uphill work and i didn't know if it would turn out good. her birthday is tomorrow and i only just finished the card, so there's no way i'm going to get it printed in time - i'll send a scaled down copy by e-mail and tell her i'll have it on paper for her soon. but i do think i succeeded in what i was trying to make: a sort of simplistic birthday cake with an appliquée feel. she does a lot of appliquée work to go with her shabby chic furniture and i think this card reflects her style a bit. this probably isn't my best card and it definitely isn't the one i've liked best, but the main point is that my sis likes it - and she will .

Wow; looks wonderful to me AnMal and I can almost feel the fabric as I virtually swipe my fingers across it. Cool stuff indeed.

What an original idea, an appliqued cake. Bet your sister gets the only one ever made. That is just wonderful. It would make a beautiful quilt.

I think it's pretty, Idk why you don't like it so much. :\
She'll love it!

Yeah, Gimp is very tiring, I so understand.

She will love it Anmal

Gorgeous work AnMal! The fabric is so realistic.

very pretty

everyone: thank you ! i'm glad you lot liked it - i do too, and i think it does look pretty realistic, so it's nice to hear you seem to agree. when i say i don't think it's one of my best and that it's not the one i like best that's because: a) it's not really my style, not the kind of thing i would want on a birthday card myself. i'd want lots of patterns and a healthy dose of shocking pink and preferably some glitter and bling... and b) i've made plenty of things that were more complicated to make and still look more well made and better composed. i'm realistic about my stuff, so i know this.