Coneflowers and Pine Branches cards

Today I made a couple of cards.  The first one has a distressed look to it - which I love.  I used a distressing tool to rough up the edges of the background DP (which was made by me using two different background stamps (En Francais and Baroque Motifs).  This card now qualifies for the TLC346 Challenge (Try a New Technique - Stack up the Background).   The sponging around the edges reinforces the distressed look as well as the brown sponging on the petals of the flowers.  The flowers are done with the Paper Tole technique which adds a lot of depth and interest by layering the petals of the flowers.  When using the distressing tool, it breaks down the cardstock, ripping tiny pieces from the edge that are sort of a "fluff".  I distressed pieces of Early Espresso cardstock so I could use the "fluff" for the centers of the coneflowers - giving them even more texture and depth.  Hope you like.

 "Coneflowers"

Stamps:  Inspired by Nature, En Francais, Baroque Motifs, Precious Butterflies (sentiment) - all SU!

Paper:  Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Whisper White (SU!)

Ink:  Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Rose Red (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Stamp-a-ma-jig, distressing tool, sponges, 3/8" Soft Suede Taffeta ribbon, glue, glue dots, sticky strips and dimensionals

* * * * *

I inked the two coneflowers with Rose Red, Early Espresso and Old Olive and stamped onto Whisper White cardstock.  I cut them out.  I used a small sponge to add Always Artichoke to the stems and leaves.  I used another small sponge to add Rose Red over top of the petals to make them quite dark and then sponged the edges with Soft Suede.  

I stamped the two coneflowers again, this time just the flower heads.  I cut out the petals only (splitting the large flower into four sections of petals and the small flower into three).  I sponged over the petals with Rose Red to darken them and then I sponged Soft Suede around the edges of each piece.

I used rolled up glue dots to mount the individual petals on top of the complete flowers, making them raised at the tips of the petals and add glue to the part closest to the center of the flower so it was fairly flush.  After all the petals were added, I covered the center of the flowers with glue and pressed Early Espresso "fluff" (made with the distressing tool) over the glue and pressed down.

I stamped En Frances in Soft Suede ink onto Crumb Cake cardstock.  I inked the large Baroque Motifs stamp with Early Espresso and stamped on top of the En Francais, off to the right hand side.  I then used a distressing tool on the edges.  I sponged the distressed edges with Soft Suede ink to enhance them.

I wrapped Soft Suede ribbon around the bottom of the background paper and tied a knot off to one side.  I mounted the background onto a card base of Early Espresso.

I mounted the flowers on top of the background, popping them up with dimensionals to add depth.

I stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso ink onto Crumb Cake cardstock and sponged Soft Suede ink around the edges.  I sponged a piece of Whisper White cardstock with Rose Red ink and then sponged the edges with Soft Suede ink and used this as a frame for the sentiment - this way it matched the same color as the flowers.  I added a final frame of Early Espresso cardstock and mounted the sentiment to the front of the card, popping it up with dimensionals.

____________________

The second card for today is another Christmas card using this week's sketch challenge (this is such a great CAS Sketch!!).  I used the pine branch as the focal point of the three squares, but I also added it all over the background Early Espresso panel, stamping it in Early Espresso ink so it is very subtle.  I love the look!  Unfortunately, subtle details are hard to see in my photos right now.  I didn't have any problems during the summer, but now that the sun isn't shining as brightly, the details on my cards aren't coming through in the photos :(   I need to find a better way to light my photos.  Anyways, here it is ... hope you like.

"Pine Branches"

Stamps:  Autumn Days, Christmas Greetings (SU!)

Paper:  Whisper White, Old Olive, Early Espresso (SU!); Green Glitter paper ($1 Store)

Ink:  Early Espresso; Stampin' Write markers:  Old Olive, Early Espresso (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  1 1/4" square punch, bronze stickles, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sticky strips, adhesives, glue dots and dimensionals

* * * * *

I used the Stampin' Write markers to ink the pine branch and stamped it onto Whisper White cardstock.  I repeated this twice more.  I used the square punch to punch them out and then added bronze colored stickles to the pine cones.  I set them aside to dry.

I stamped the pine branch randomly with Early Espresso ink, covering the piece of Early Espresso cardstock and then mounted the panel onto a frame of Old Olive cardstock.  I mounted the framed panel onto the card front of Whisper White cardstock.

I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig for placement, and stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso ink at the bottom right corner.  I mounted the front card panel onto a card base of Old Olive cardstock.

I cut out three 1 1/2" squares of green glitter paper.  I used sticky strips to mount the stamped pine branch squares on top, but found the sticky strips didn't hold onto the glitter paper, so added a glue dot in each of the four corners to make it secure.

I mounted the three framed pine branch squares onto the front of the card, popping them up with dimensionals to add depth.