Brick House

Today's color challenge at SCS (CC379) is Cajun Craze, Baja Breeze, and Cherry Cobbler ... with the dessert being - add Lucky Limeade as greenery (flowers, leaves, trees).  Well, those colors together were definitely a challenge for me!  I decided to go with a window flower box on a brick house ... I tried adding a distressed look to the window and flower box to match the distressed look from the brick embossing folder.  Hope you like.

"Brick House"

Paper:  Confetti Cream, Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler (SU!)
Ink:  Cajun Craze, Early Espresso (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot; Small Madison Window die, Small Flower Box die, Wildflower Patch die (all from Poppy Stamps / Memory Box); Leafy Branch die and Leaves die (C.C. Designs), Brick embossing folder (Tim Holtz / Sizzix), Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch, sponge dauber, white gel pen, mat, stylus, glue, adhesives, sticky strips, and dimensionals

I ran the embossing folder through my Big Shot with Confetti Cream cardstock.  I used a sponge dauber to add Cajun Craze ink to the embossing (and a little Early Espresso ink).

I ran the flower box die and window die through the Big Shot with Crumb Cake cardstock (cut two flower boxes).  I took my Early Espresso ink pad and swiped it across all three pieces several times, pressing fairly hard and always pulling in one direction.  I added a piece of Confetti Cream cardstock behind the window, adding dimensionals in between and mounted it to the embossed card front near the top (my plan was to add a sentiment on the bottom - but I didn't like how that looked so left it off).

I find the easiest way for me to "build" the flower box is to add temporary adhesive to the back of one flower box and lay it on my work surface.  I ran the Leafy Branch die-cut and Leaves die-cut through my Big Shot with Old Olive cardstock three times (I didn't end up using all the dies).

I added a sticky strip along the top of the flower box and started adding leaves (or pieces of leaves) until I was happy with how it looked.  I then placed the second flower box on top, placing dimensionals in-between.  I mounted the flower box onto the bottom of my window.

I ran the Wildflower Patch die through my Big Shot with Baja Breeze cardstock and then cut the stems off all the flowers.  I punched several hydrangea flowers from Cherry Cobbler cardstock.

I used my mat and stylus to shape the flowers, added a white center to the Cherry Cobbler blossoms with a white gel pen and then randomly glued the flowers on top of the leaves.  I added two small leaf sprigs to the front of the box, tucking the ends under flowers.

I added an embossed brick panel to the inside of my card, with a Confetti Cream writing panel in the middle.