Today’s card project features something that I’ve always been hesitant to try–paper tearing. I’ve long admired the look of frayed natural fiber edges. I think it gives cards a unique focal point and textural element. The problem is that I’m one of those people (read: control freaks) that starts to panic about tearing paper. What if it’s too straight? What if it’s too messy? What if I ruin the paper? Yes, friends, I have issues. But, I am here to tell you that sometimes you just have to lose control and try it–and I’m glad I did.

I started with a 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Papertrey Ink cardstock in Lavender Moon. I scored it at 4 1/4″ and used my Zutter Round-It-All to remove all four corners. For the experiment in paper tearing, I used a piece of Kraft Resist cardstock from Tim Holtz’s Idea-ology line that had some printed butterflies and a clear dimensional resist swirl pattern. I cut a 12″ x 12″ sheet into several 5 1/2″ lengths of various widths and started freehand tearing along the edges. I think the key to getting a very natural looking tear pattern is to tear slowly using a slight up-and-down motion with your fingers. After several test runs, I was ready to experiment with adding color to kraft cardstock background. Using a sponge dauber and some Tsukineko Memento ink in Grape Jelly, I tried to create some shading and variations to the background pattern while creating a contrast color to the lavender. The octagonal shaped tag features a lovely purple butterfly cut from some K & Company paper from Susan Winget’s “Spring Blossom” Collection. I also added a small ribbon rosette from Stampin’ Up! as a final accent.

I have a confession–which will not be all that surprising to those of you who love paper crafting as much as I do. There’s something uniquely satisfying and fulfilling in getting all the “small” details in project just right. Beyond the self-satisfaction you get from producing and giving a handmade project to a family member or friend, let’s be honest: many times the recipient will not realize or truly appreciate the amount of work and thought you put into said project. That’s not to say they don’t appreciate or enjoy it–it’s simply that they don’t understand the time consuming and minute details (and heaps of creativity and love) that went into their gift.

That’s where the real satisfaction and pay-off comes in: the knowing and joy we get from all the the little things that go into a project. It is this intrinsic value in our work and ideas that no one can ever really understand or share in that feeds our creativity and fires our giving souls. I may produce a card that took hours of planning and detail work–and no one may ever quite “get it”. But, I do. I always take pictures of all my projects, so that when they are gone to their new homes, I still have a way to celebrate and remember that particular work. Every now and again, I love to flip through my pictures and look at what I’ve done and how far I’ve come. New ideas, new techniques, new accomplishments…they simply fuel my desire to do something even better and more unique. I really urge you to keep a record of your works–whether they be digital files, printed photos or written journal entries. Every so often, remind yourself of your work–good and not-so-successful–to feed your fire of creativity and stoke new ambition and drive.

The reason I touched on all of this today, is that I was extremely happy with one of my latest projects. It’s full of small details that perhaps only I will ever truly appreciate. The card literally represents hours of work–a project I returned to over the course of several days. It was a truly fulfilling creative moment for me. I only hope that whomever ends up with it, will enjoy it half as much as I did putting it together.

This project started with a piece of 4″ x 5″ kraft cardstock from Papertrey Ink. I used a VersaMark watermark stamp pad and a rubber stamp from Samantha Walker’s “Butterfly Garden” (Unity Stamp Co.) set to stamp the corner floral and butterfly image. I used some American Crafts Zing! embossing powder in Bronze and my heat tool to raise the image. After my image was completely set, I wasn’t sure where to go next with this project. One thing that “bothered” me a bit, was the stark contrast with the embossed image and the kraft background. After setting it aside for a while, I returned to it and made a few changes. I used my Stampin’ Up! ticket corner punch to take the corners off. I then used some Tsukineko Memento ink in Rich Cocoa and a sponge dauber to darken the edges of the kraft cardstock. Finally, I used some Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist in Perfect Pearl to soften the effect. I sprayed the entire cardstock with a heavy coat and waited a few seconds. Then I used a paper towel and came back over the embossed image to remove the excess spray. The mist worked perfectly to soften the image–not detracting from the embossing, but filling in the starkness of the kraft background.

This was a very feminine feeling card from the get go–and I decided to go for maximum effect in that sense. I mounted the craft cardstock embossed piece on a card base made of Papertrey Ink’s Pinefeather cardstock. I used a piece of chipboard and covered it with more Pinefeather cardstock to create the base of the cameo piece. The actual plastic cameo is one the remarkable pieces done by Webster’s Pages. (If you have not checked out their fabulous embellishments, please do so. One of my personal favorites are these cameo pieces featuring ballerinas, birds, horses, butterflies, and highly sculpted female profiles.) Once I had created the base for the cameo to sit on, I knew I wanted to do pearls. Figuring out the sizes and exactly how to lay them out was a trick in itself. I ended up using Moss Green flatback pearls from Queen & Co. in three different sizes to create the frame and hand apply them one at a time.

Feeling the need to counterbalance the weight of the heavy pearl frame, I decided to use various sizes of blackened crystals from Basic Grey to highlight the centers of each of the floral elements in my embossed corner piece. The sentiment was created using Stampin’ Up!’s modern label punch and “Fabulous Phrases” stamp set. The inside watercolored journaling block is from KaiserCraft.

There’s just something about this one that makes me very happy and very creatively fulfilled.

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RANDOMONIUM:

–Don’t forget there are only nine more days to enter Giveaway #16. (See sidebar link for all the details.)
–Is anyone loving AMC’s “The Killing” as much as I am? I am in love with this show’s creative beauty and brilliant acting.
–I cannot stop listening to Adele’s brilliant “21″. It’s my pick for Album of The Year thus far.

There are certain symbols or icons that hold a place near and dear to my heart. There might be a story attached to them–other times it may just be their beauty or artistic value. Among some of my favorite things are keys, hearts, eggs, crowns, finials, maltese crosses, and bees. They make me feel. They make me smile. They compel me to study their intricacies and they inspire my crafting.

Bees are such majestic creatures. They challenge the laws of aerodynamics. Their colonies ape human society. They work fastidiously to pollinate and produce sweet, golden honey. They simply fascinate me.

Today’s card project combines two of my favorite things–bees and crowns. The rubber stamp image is part of gorgeous set entitled “All Worth It” produced by Unity Stamp Co. and designed by the talented Melody Ross. I decided to use it in conjunction with a heat embossing process.

The base cardstock is Early Espresso from Stampin’ Up! The card mat is a 4″ x 5″ piece of Kraft cardstock from Papertrey Ink. Using a Versamark pad, I stamped the image several times (in multiple directions) on the plain kraft cardstock. Next, I used my heat tool and some American Crafts’ Zing! opaque embossing powder in Blush to raise the images. After the images had set, I used a sponge dauber and some Ranger Archival Ink in Sepia to pounce over the entire design. I used a tissue to wipe away the excess ink from the embossed images.

To create the small sentiment tag, I used a stamp and die set from Papertrey Ink called “Tiny Tags”. The cardstock and ribbon for the sentiment tag are also from Papertrey Ink’s Fine Linen palette. I’m not sure that the photographs capture how well the combination of linen, brown, and blush actually work together–but they are a stunning combination.

For the inside of the card, I used a journaling block from Pink Paislee’s ’365 Degree’ collection and a bit more of the Fine Linen 1/2″ Luxe Satin ribbon.

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In other odds & ends:

–FedEx just left a package on my doorstep: two new Cricut Imagine cartridges–Buccaneer and All Wrapped Up.
–I’m expecting another package later today with my newest Cricut cartridges: Damask Décor, Elegant Edges, Everyday Pop-Up Cards, Baby Steps, and Kate’s ABCs. (*insert the sound of my bank account whining*)
–Earlier this week, I received my new Cuttlebug (V2 aka Version 2.0). I have to say the redesign is a beauty aesthetically and practically. I love the new curved lines, the more compact platforms, and the hide-away handle. I wasn’t sure I really “needed” the update–but I’m really glad I did go for it.
–Look for Giveaway #16 to arrive by the weekend. Among other things, you’ll have a chance to win a new Cricut “Pack Your Bags” cartridge.

I’m not sure if it is a common affliction among crafters, but I’ve long been fascinated by color and bling since I was a child. If it sparkles or glitters, chances are I have to have it. Even before I fell in love with cardmaking and crafting, I’ve been a student, collector and creator of jewelry. From vintage deco to modern pop art pieces, the combination of geometry and symmetry with the sparkle of gemstones and crystals puts me in a trance. It actually began with an admiration of Russian Czarist history in high school. That led to collecting and devouring books about the works of Peter Carl Faberge and the Imperial Easter Eggs. Then came my collection of eggs. Then came a fascination with Coco Chanel, Jean Schlumberger and others. Then came my jewelry collection…and well, you get the picture. Suffice to say, that a lot of my crafting projects are influenced by gemstone colors and their fiery brilliance. Today’s project, in one such example.

I fell in love with these wonderful raw chipboard cameo sets from Maya Road. They come with several different shapes, styles, and profiles that are perfect for customizing to your own color scheme and fancy. When I decided to make one a card focal point, I thought it would be interesting to do so against a very neutral palette. So, I chose to used blacks and grays in papers and inks. The cardstock is True Black and Sahara Sand from Stampin’ Up! I used Tsukineko Memento inks and a sponge dauber to ink my cameo pieces. The floral spikes were created with double-sided adhesive and Martha Stewart glitter in White Gold. The pearls are from Stampin’ Up! The sentiment plaque was created using a decorative label punch (also from SU!). The sentiment stamp is from a SU! set called ‘You’re A Gem’. The decorative frame stamp is from an upcoming Stampin’ Up release called ‘Four Frames’. It will be available in the new Summer Mini Catalog starting in May 2011. The inner journaling block is from Pink Paislee’s ‘Queen Bee’ collection.

As I have discussed previously, I am a great fan and student of architectural symmetry, design and aesthetics. I can sit and look at photographs and books of geometric designs cast in plaster, marble, metals–and be mesmerized by the intricacies of line, curve and shape. One of my particular favorite architectural elements has always been the finial. Finials are typically carved from stone and are thoughtfully used to emphasize the apex of a gable or any distinct ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. However, finials have been taken from architectural devices and now grace everything from clocks, curtain rods, and bedposts.

My love of finials is one of the reasons I thoroughly enjoy the Cricut cartridge called ‘Ornamental Iron’. There are so many terrific wrought-iron gates, windows, and architectural elements on this cartridge–and they lend themselves to a bounty of project ideas. The two images on today’s card project are both from this cartridge. Originally, I had two separate projects in mind when I cut the pieces. But as I played around with the design, I ended up loving the contrast of both images on one card. While slightly masculine in appeal, this card is just a great general note card that grabs the eye.

The layered finial piece (which is also reminiscent of a vase or urn) was cut and printed at 4″ with my Cricut Imagine. Using the RGB codes for the Stampin’ Up! color palette, the shadow layer was done in Basic Black (R-0 G-0 B-0). The finial was done in Chocolate Chip (R-111 G-84 B-75). The final decorative layer was done using a pattern from the Cricut Imagine ‘Best Friends’ art cartridge. When I cut the wrought-iron window (which was going to be for a different project), I used Not Quite Navy (R-63 G-109 B-125). But that color was not going to work with the rest of the elements on the final card. So I took a sponge dauber and some lacquer black ink and changed the appearance to a glossy black finish. The decorative background paper is from Basic Grey’s ‘Curio’ line. The base card stock is Stampin’ Up! in ‘Early Espresso’. The interior journaling block paper is trimmed from a piece of Prima Marketing paper from the ‘Annalee’ collection. I used my Zutter 1/2″ Round-It-All tool on the corners of the base cardstock and card mat.

The completed project reminds me of a decor tableau–a giant urn sitting in front of a floating screen in some decadent Moroccan love nest hideaway. Pillows strewn on the floor in front of an intricate wall treatment, with a cadre of menservants feeding me grapes and fanning me with giant maribou feathers. Casablanca, here I come. At least a boy can dream…

The mushroom has always been a motif that makes me happy. Maybe it’s a childhood memory–walking in the forest and seeing wild mushrooms and imagining that tiny elves lived inside–or the geometrical structure that appeals to the math geek in me…but, for whatever reason, I love mushrooms. (I’ll avoid discussing my Super Mario addiction for the time being…)

Today’s card project features artwork and cuts from the Cricut Imagine art cartridge titled “Nursery Tails”. (Before I go on, I suppose I need to make a confession. Yes, another one. My addictive personality has been discussed numerous times on this blog. My Cricut cartridge count now stands at 214 [and doesn't include the new batch of Hello Thursday releases--though I've already ordered two of those.] When I finally caved and purchased my Cricut Imagine, I secretly hoped that I would not find it necessary to have all the Imagine cartridges. I told myself, the color and pattern cartridges would not be must-have purchases. {By now, you should see where this is heading.} Well, so much for low hopes. I currently have 21 Imagine art and colors/patterns cartridges…and want all three of the newly announced titles.)

Now the reason for this rather long confession: What am I doing with a cartridge called “Nursery Tails”? I have no children. I’m fairly certain any eggs I may have had are long scrambled (yes, this was a joke). At 45, I don’t see children in my future (much less that rascally Prince Charming)…so….why? Well, I had to have it. But, I’m telling you, the artwork and designs on this cartridge are so beyond cute and ahhh-inducing. I give “Nursery Tails” a hearty two-snaps and a shake of a gay man’s bruised existential eggs. Okay, now I’m done. I promise. To the cave, er….card.

The base cardstock for this project (and one of my go-to colors) is Papertrey Ink’s Simply Chartreuse. The card mat was cut at 4″ x 5″ from K & Co.’s “Greenhouse” paper stack. I mounted the mat on another piece of the same-sized Simply Chartreuse cardstock for added thickness as I knew I would be doing some hand-stitching on this card. I used We R Memory Keepers Sew Easy tool to punch the stitch lines in my matstack. Echoing the predominant greens and browns of the papers used, I chose to use some Papertrey Ink Baker’s Twine in Chocolate (instead of floss) to do my stitching. I like the baker’s twine as it is thicker and more rustic and makes the stitching show up more.

I used my Cricut Imagine and “Nursery Tails” to print and cut my layered artwork at 4″. The mushroom head and the butterfly wings were double cut for layering with Stampin’ Dimensionals. I also used the Dimensionals to adhere my mat stack on the card front as that keeps the back stitch work from “lumping” up the cardstock. It also, I think, carries on the three-dimensional effect of the overall card. Lastly, I used a sponge dauber and some Memento Rich Cocoa ink to add a border of color around the outside edges of my card. I was really happy with the way this one turned out. It featured so many details that I didn’t feel it necessary to add a greeting or sentiment to the card.

The basic premise of the “Limitless Layers” set is that you have a 1 3/4″ circle die shape that can be backed by four different decorative circle shaped dies to create tags, badges, buttons of various materials to embellish your craft projects. I chose to use the scalloped punch out die and a piece of American Crafts glitter cardstock in Ocean to create the sentiment badge for my project.

For those that are curious, the Papertrey Ink die line will work with nearly all die-cutting systems (e.g., Sizzix, Cuttlebug, Spellbinders, etc.). While I have a Sizzix Big Shot, more times than not I will grab my Cuttlebug to use the dies and they cut wonderfully. The correct “sandwich” recipe for using these dies is: A Plate + C Plate + die + material + B Plate.

For this card, I used the new Papertrey Ink Blueberry Sky cardstock as my base (5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″). The base mat is a piece of Stampin’ Up! textured cardstock in Brilliant Blue (5″ x 3 1/4″). The decorative mat is Die Cuts With A View (DCWV) cardstock from the “All About Boys” stack (4 3/4″ x 2 1/2″). The scallop cut is American Craft glitter cardstock (2 1/8″ diameter). I wasn’t sure if I was going to use a colored circle (Blueberry Sky) or a white circle (Stampin’ Up! Whisper White) to stamp on–so I cut both just to have the option. (NOTE: I used my Zutter 1/2″ Round-It-All to cut the corners off the cardstock base and mats.)

While flipping through the DCWV “All About Boys” stack, I found a page that had a glazed image of a pirate ship on it and it served as the inspiration for the project.

To begin layering my card, I wrapped a piece of the coordinating Papertrey Ink Blueberry Sky satin ribbon around the Brilliant Blue mat and then adhered that layer to my card base. I chose to place the mat on the folded (scored) edge of the card to create a bit of visual interest with the ultimate color layering.

Next, I inked the edges of the pirate ship mat with Tsukineko Memento ink in Danube Blue and adhered it to the ribboned mat layer.

For my sentiment badge, I decided to use the white background and a Stampin’ Up! set called “Pirate Time”. I stamped the skull image using the Memento Danube Blue ink and the captain’s hat using StazOn in Jet Black. I used a Sakura Glaze pen in Black to handwrite the “Ahoy!” sentiment and inked the circle edges with more Danube Blue and a sponge dauber. I used Stampin’ Dimensionals to adhere the white layer to my glittered scallop and then attached the badge to the cardfront.

The final touch was another stamped image on the inside of the card. Keeping with the pirate theme, I used a skull map stamp from a Stampin’ Up! set entitled “Beware Pirates” and StazOn Jet Black to finish my card.

Here are a few more close-up images of the finished project:

This card is based on a card by Phyllis Johnson, but I did make quite a few changes.  Again, since its Halloween, I dirtied up all the pieces (I’m still sticking to my guns….Halloween isn’t supposed to be pretty…hehe), purposely made it so all the pieces weren’t so perfectly lined up and even, added some spooky glam with pearl stickles, and replaced some of the expensive Designer Paper with my homemade patterned paper.

Project 100 of 365: Midnight Musings Web:

100 of 365: Midnight Musings Web

Don’t you just love how the spider web emboss folder makes the dsp crack a little, letting the white core just peek through….Helps add to the disorder of the Spooky Halloween Cards.

100 of 365: Midnight Musings Web- Inside

Supplies:

Paper:

• Basic Black
• Old Olive
• Rich Razzleberry
• Whisper White
• Wicked Fun DSP

Stamps:

• Dark & Dreary
• Midnight Musings Jumbo Wheel
• All Holidays (for inside the card)

Ink:

• Basic Black

Accessories:

• Spiderweb Emboss Folder
• Stickles- Pearl
• Circle Punches

Woohoo!!  I am finally tired now, so typing up these projects must have been just what I needed… and I’ll still get almost 6 hours of sleep

Good Night,

StampinBetty

So now to wind down I’m going to try to post a couple more of those Halloween cards that have been piling up, waiting for their turn to shine here for everyone to see

Project 99 of 365: Old Olive Web

99 of 365: Old Olive Web

This card was inspired by a card I saw by Elizabeth Price.  The only differences are that I added an extra layer by making the card black, and layering the web embossed Old Olive piece on top of it, then I roughed up the edges on EVERYTHING and distressed it all further by rubbing black ink all over.  The way I see it Halloween cards should not be pretty and orderly…The should be dirty, disorganized, shall we even say scary?  Lol!!

Supplies:

Paper:

• Basic Black
• Old Olive
• Whisper White
• Wicked Fun DSP

Stamps:

• Dark & Dreary

Ink:

• Basic Black
• Old Olive

Accessories:

• Spiderweb Textured Impressions Emboss Folder
• Cutter Kit- Distress Tool
• Dimensionals
• Circle Punches
• Scallop Circle Punch 2″ (this is slightly larger than the SU punch)

Thank you for looking!  Come Back Soon.

StampinBetty

Seriously….It’s all about the embossing folder and a little ink to distress and bring out the embossing…love the effect.

Project 88 of 365: Punched Stars Card

88 of 365: Punched Stars Card

Supplies:

Paper:

• Cajun Craze
• Old Olive
• Chocolate Chip
• Very Vanilla

Ink:

• Chocolate Chip

Accessories:

• Square Lattice Textured Impressions Emboss Folder
• Small Star Punch
• Large Star Punch
• Tombow/Snail Adhesive
• Glue

Thanks for stopping by.

StampinBetty

Well all of this spawned more improvements that I have been just dying to do……I painted and then put up a custom closet system in my dream walk-in closet  (since we all know 12o year old houses don’t have walk -in closets it is actually this weird bonus room that was added to our TINY master bedroom as part of an addition to the house by a previous owner, and since I hated having a weird L-shaped bedroom with NO closet space I decided to put up closet doors, and make a really BIG dream closet.)

After that I just HAD to finish up the kitchen…..I love the color the previous owner painted the kitchen, but it was like they didn’t finish it because they didn’t paint the parts of the kitchen where the cabinets are????  It looked so drab and boring on the walls where all the cabinets and stove are because the walls were white, and the cabinets are super plain white cabinets.  So I got some more of that beautiful earthy blue color as what is on the other 2 1/2 walls  (its pretty dramatic….I’ll have to get some pictures of this up here too.) and painted above and below the cabinets.  This $30 worth of paint made it look like such a different kitchen.  Before it was blah, boring, and outdated….Now its updated and modern.  I really can’t believe this big of a change came from just painting!!

I’ve also done quite a few other smaller things….I’ve been on such a home improvement kick.  It’s been all about those inexpensive finishing touches that have been missing.  Plus I think I’m really into fixing stuff because things are finally starting to go right with this place, and I’m starting to LOVE my house again.  I was getting soooooo frustrated, because everything was going wrong with this place for the longest time….Every time we tried to fix something we ran into bigger problems, but starting with the window installation everything started to finally go our way!!!!  The new windows are AMAZING….now we just need to find a way to save up the money for the rest of the windows (we were only able to do 6 windows, but at least that included all the biggest windows.)

But now I’m back, and today it is all about texture.  I’ve said it before and I will say it again….I love all the Textured Impressions Embossing Folders (by Sizzix).  On several of the cards that I will be posting today the embossing is actually the focus of the card.

Project 87 of 365: Vintage Wallpaper Fall Card

87 of 365: Vintage Wallpaper Fall Card

Supplies:

Paper:

• Cajun Craze
• Old Olive
• Very Vanilla

Stamps:

• Holiday Best

Ink:

• Cajun Craze

Accessories:

• Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
• Sponge Dauber
• Snail/Tombow Adhesive

I’ve got plenty more to post so stop back soon!

StampinBetty

This card project highlights one of my favorite techniques for using glitter–but with a color twist. While I believe this technique will work with most craft brand glitters, I should tell you that my favorite to use–and the one that I believe gives the best results–is Stampin’ Up!’s Dazzling Diamonds Stampin’ Glitter (#102023, $ 4.50). The main obstacle with this method is that you want to make sure that your glitter is adhered to your project very firmly because of the friction and rubbing involved in the technique. If your glitter is not well-adhered, obviously you’ll have glitter falling off left and right (and a giant mess to boot). You will have some glitter loss, but your adhesive is key. For me, the best results are obtained using Stampin’ Up!’s Heat & Stick Powder (#100625, $ 4.50). The heat setting provides for a melt that grips your glitter to maximum effect.

For this project, I used a 5 1/2″ x 8″ piece of Stampin’ Up! cardstock in Cajun Craze (which was scored at 4 1/4″). The card mat is a 4″ x 5″ of Stampin’ Up Whisper White cardstock. The ink I chose to use is Stampin’ Up! Poppy Parade applied with a sponge dauber.

Using a 3″ x 3″ square of Whisper White cardstock, I stamped the floral image (Stampin’ Up! “Fabulous Flowers”, #109343; now retired) with a VersaMark pad and then coated it with a layer of Heat & Stick powder. Using my heat gun, I melted the layer of Heat & Stick powder until it reaches a clear, shiny finish. Then I poured a layer of Dazzling Diamonds glitter over the heated adhesive. At this point, you want to re-heat the image to ensure that the Heat & Stick powder and the glitter make a full bond and then allow your image to cool.

Once your stamped and glittered image is cooled, choose an ink color that coordinates with the papers your are using in your project. In my case, I chose Poppy Parade. Using a sponge dauber, I applied two to three coats of ink over the entire surface of the image–both on the glitter and the paper. You want to make sure you have fully saturated the color to an even layered application. I then used my Tim Holtz serrated scissors to cut around the image following the petal patterns as a guideline. Once you’ve cut your image, lay a craft mat or scrap paper out and place your image on it. Taking several pieces of Kleenex tissue and balling them up, vigorously rub in a circular motion across your glittered image. The friction with the tissue causes the excess ink to be absorbed and leaves behind a glittered surface with a slight hint of color. Don’t be alarmed that the tissue starts to tear and “ball up”. The jagged texture of the glitter will do this. It is a bit of a messy procedure, but the final results are definitely worth the effort. (I should add that it is very hard to do this technique justice with photographs. I promise you in person that your images will sparkle and shine like a vintage jewel.)

Next, I took the 4″ x 5″ card mat and used the sponge dauber to create a spotted effect for the card background using the same Poppy Parade ink. For the final touches on this card, I used one of the new Stampin’ Up! sets, “Curly Cute” (#120510, $ 14.95), for the sentiment. I stamped it with VersaMark and heat embossed it with white embossing powder. I added a piece of 1/4″ Stampin’ Up! grosgrain ribbon in Real Red.

I hope you’ll experiment, play and modify this technique to use with some of your own projects. It really is a fun technique and creates some very eye-catching results. Happy Wednesday Crafters!

The yellow that Dawn used is just beautiful and I had nothing to compare with it so I changed it to Regal Rose.  She doesn’t use Stampin’ Up! stamps so I went searching to find a background.  The image I have used is from the ‘Lovely Letters Alphabet’ set.  I just happened to have that set out on the desk and saw this image and had to use it and the words are from the hostess set ‘Best Yet.

To see how Dawn makes these flowers click here.  I have used Chocolate Chip, Kraft and Regal Rose cardstock.  Chocolate Chip and Regal Rose ink and Regal Rose grosgrain ribbon.   I also used the Scallop edge punch and the Corner Rounder Punch from Stampin’ Up!.  I cut out a couple of leaves from the Kraft cardstock and sponged around the edges using a sponge dauber.  Sponge daubers give a much finer effect than a sponge.  It looks more like shading than a distressed, rough edge which is what I wanted for this crisp looking card.

You may think that I have left out something from my list of items used and you’d be right.  If you are thinking that I used a button for the center of the flower you would be almost right.  It’s meant to look like a button but it is really a circle of Chocolate Chip card that I have covered with Crystal Effects.  I allowed it to dry and then pierced 2 holes in the center.  Very simple, and a lot cheaper than buying buttons!