WPlus9 Birthday Celebration: Trend Watch

It's the third week of WPlus9's birthday celebration and the theme for this week is Trend Watch.

I studied their trend board for quite awhile trying to figure out what to do.  I definitely like diagonal stripes - my favorite thing is a diagonal stripe dsp or stamped pattern behind a clean card.  I most definitely do sequins.  In fact, I was quite glad to see them on the trend watch board because I don't see myself quitting anytime soon - I love the way they fill in space on a clean card.  (Having said that - no sequins on my card!)  Enamel dots are great.  Misting...not so much for me...not enough control!

But I went for it today.  I love what I have been seeing on the WPlus9 blog.  Also some of my favorite designers have gone for the misty, soft, vellum look. So here's my try...

In honor of WPlus9's birthday, I included a bird from the first set that I owned and the "happy" from my most recent order.

Can you tell that I am a fairly tentative "mister"?  It's hard for me.  I am so afraid of a big blotch exactly where I don't want it.  Most people embrace the beauty of that random blotch - not me!  I'm thinking I need a good stamps set of blotches - then I'm in control!  I love the blotches on this WPlus9 card. I also like the colors - WPlus9 is coming out with new inks - check out the colors on the bottom card here.  No...I don't work for WPlus9 - I'm just really excited by what I am seeing!
Anybody have any recommendations on good "blotch" stamp sets??

• Stamps: WPlus9 Love Birds, Whole Lotta Happy
• Paper: MME Just Splendid 6x6, Papertrey Ink Limeade Ice, MFT Grout Gray
• Ink: Stampin' Up Soft Sky, Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow
• Accessories: WPlus9 Whole Lotta Happy dies, Timeless Tags 2, Tattered Angels Frost Glimmer Mist, Hemptique 10-lb white twine, MME Adorbs Hello Enamel Dots