Tuesday, April 2, 2013

NAC #40

Welcome.  I hope your week is off to a good start.  Mine, light speed.  But then again, what's new?  This is a short week at work for me.  If you live in or near Albuquerque, then you know that the Hen House Stamp retreat is this weekend.  And what does that mean?  Well, if you're a paper crafter (like me) than you are welcome to spend the weekend with others with the same passion.  A whole weekend of uninterrupted time to paper craft.  Nirvana.


But, before I head out the door with a purpose, lets play along with the lovely and talented ladies @ Nacho Average Challenge.  This week, there is a color challenge.  And they are beautiful colors!
If you are a frequent visitor/follower, you know that these colors speak volumes to me.  I love soft, pretty colors.  And these colors scream feminine.  Let's inspire you!


Once I saw the color challenge, I instantly knew what I was going to do!  Use the perfect plum for a blossom.  Use the lucky limeade for folage.  Use the pool party for butterflies, and to ground the whole card add some crumb cake and first edition dsp.  Let's face it.  In my book, Pool Party is only second to Pink Pirouette, for me.  I also knew that I wanted to add some of that gorgeous floral lace trim from the Artisan Emellishment kit.  Add a little machine sewing, to help add charm.  If I could figure out where to add some pearls, you know you would see some.  But, I really couldn't get them to work.  I also really, really wanted to add a bow.   But the card doesn't have a bow or pearls.
Here is what I did.  
I cut twelve 1 1/4" squares of very vanilla card stock.  I placed them in the vintage wallpaper embossing folder, to give this neutral card stock some texture and a feminine feel.  I sponged crumb cake classic ink on all four sides of each square.  
I cut a piece of crumb cake card stock to 4" x 5 1/4".  I then adhered the sponged very vanilla embossed squares to the crumb cake cardstock.  This gave me my crumb cake fix!
I cut a strip of the floral lace trim to go across the card front.  I wrapped a piece of pool party seam binding.  I didn't crinkle the seam binding.  I felt that if I crinkled the seam binding, it would give this card a 'sloppy' look.  I wanted to keep the look clean, soft, and spring-y!  
Then, I added some machine stitching.  I first machine stitched the seam binding and lace.  Then, I started machine stitching the whole parameter of the card, roughly a 1/4" from the edge.  
Now, it's time to build the blossom, that will be the focal point of this card.  This blossom was built with three whole blossoms that were stamped, heat embossed, color washed, punched, cut, bent, stacked, glittered, distressed, and sponged.  Whew.  I used the same floral stamp to stamp on the first edition dsp, and used the build a blossom punch to punch the leaf shapes.  And of course, I distressed the edges of the leaves with crumb cake classic ink.
The butterflies were equally as much fun to create.  I used the kindness matters stamp set.  I stamped the butterflies in jet black staz-on ink, onto white shimmer cardstock.  I color washed the butterflies with pool party re-inker.  I used my detail scissors to fussy cut them out.  Then I sponged perfect plum classic ink on the forward wing tips, sponged pool party classic ink on the back wing tips, and then used a tiny paint brush to add some lucky limeade to the center of the butterflies bodies.  I outlined each butterfly with my 2-way glue pen and then dunked each butterfly into my tub of dazzling diamond glitter.  I used foam tape to adhere the butterflies to the card front.
I hope you have been inspired to create a paper craft item for our color challenge over @ NAC {smile}.

 

2 comments:

Scrumplescrunch said...

Hello Sharon
What an unusual colour palette for a Challenge.
Great card you have made, the grid Bg is just perfect for your most beautiful Rose which steals the show in all it's majesty. Your little butterflies add that extra interest as well as movement, it is splendid.
Smiles:)
Sue

Cami said...

Beautiful card with wonderful techniques and I thank you for sharing your instructions. These are my favorite colors also, but you have truly made this a stunning card.