Black Or Gold?

Good morning all!  Can you tell that I have been having a rummage through some of my older card files?  I thought for sure that I had posted these, but no where can they be found.  So today is another two-fer (two days in a row, can you believe it!) LOL  These cards are very similar in style so I didn't want to take up two days worth of blog posts.  You just have to tell me which style you prefer!  The first card was the very first card I made when I started making sampples for the Die D-Lite shows.  I just had this vision in my head from the moment I saw the Bonsai Tree die. I used two pieces of copy paper and taped them down over my coconut white card so that I was able to ink the band across the card neatly.  I used Black Soot distress ink and a piece of cut 'n dry foam to do this with.  Rather than using the usual circular motions, I prefer a sort of pouncing method so I don't accidentally catch the edge of the copy paper and ruin my nice band of colour.  Once inked, I stamped my sentiment using a black Archival ink as I feel that it gives the crispest black line for this.  I cut out the bonsai tree out of black card and inked through the die with a clear perfect medium pad.  I removed the die and covered it with clear embossing powder to give a shiny effect to the embossed portion of the die.  I glued it in place next to my sentiment.  As an afterthought, I noticed the very small circular die that was in the Medallion seven so I cut it in white and added it as a moon.  It would have been nice to use it before inking to create a void in the card to create the moon look as well.  I matted the card with a thin black mat before adding a double white mat with my usual pierced inner layer.  Finished dimensions (on this one) are 7" x 7 3/4" in size.

                                                                                          For the second card, I decided to go gold.  I used the Pastorale embossing folder on my coconut white card background.  Once embossed, I rubbed the design with Enchanted Gold gilding wax to highlight it.  I stamped my sentiment in the centre open area using a clear Perfect Medium pad and heat embossed it with gold powder.  I lined up the bonsai tree so it sat right between the lines and cut it.  I removed the white bonsait tree from the background and replaced it with one that I had cut out of soft gold card.  From the back of the card, I taped it back into place so it looks as if it had been inlaid.  This is also a really great technique to use if you need your cards to be very flat for posting.  I added a gold mat and then finished the card in the same way with a double white mat with a pierced inner layer.  Both cards are truly simple to create and complete.  Finished dimensions are 6 1/2" x 8" in size.  So what's your favourite?  All for now, Sue x