It's Your Birthday - Inspired by Watercolor for Card Makers

I'm not so sure about this card.  I like the concept, but I'm not really happy with the execution.  I might try it again, but I'm hoping this one will just grow on me.  I was trying to do a technique from my watercolor class, Watercolor for Card Makers over at onlinecardclasses.com where you use the stamp as the starting point using an ink that will blend in..., well, while I love the class samples, I just don't think this technique fits with my style.  I couldn't bring myself to blend away the outline.  I combined that with another technique of masking an area to watercolor without getting any in that area.  I think it might work, but I couldn't quite get all the mask up and somehow I managed to rub away some of the paper too.  It look okay from a distance, but, up close, I'm not as happy with it. 

I used Lawn Fawn's Our Friendship Grows for the flower, some Distress Ink in Walnut Stain and then my watercolors from Michaels to finish it off.  The sentiment is from a Fiskars set called All Year Greetings.