Challenges - Sunday Stampers/Gingersnap

I'm on a bit of a run with some birthday cards to put by and this one fits two challenges today - Hels'  Sunday Stampers challenge is 2 years old this week, so she has chosen the theme of birthdays (with a prize up for grabs) and Gingersnap Spicy Supply challenge open until 7th February is "embossing powder" (also with a prize from their sponsors).  Now I've not used embossing powder on cards for some time, having been concentrating on other types of crafting, but thought it a great idea to go back to basics and it was really great!

The stamp I used is a brand new one - the second Stampotique I recently purchased and this is the first time I've used her.  She stamped absolutely beautifully (I used versafine black ink) and embossed beautifully too.  I have covered a tall card with a piece of paper I've had for ages (but not so long it made it into a storage box, lol) and have been not wanting to cut (it's a 12x12 scrapbooking paper really) but took the plunge - I buy tons of beautiful paper that I can't bear to actually cut up for projects!  I used fired brick distress to lightly colour the stamped images. It matches the patterned paper quite nicely, which is what drew me to using the paper really.

I'll post the other cards I've made later, as they are "just for me" rather than a specific challenge.