Happy 4th! (and a card)

I usually don't work with red too much, or bright colors for that matter, so after all of yesterday's red on the cherries card I didn't have any more in me for a 4th of July card today!! So here's a shabby sunflower card...

Click on photo for more detail

Card measures 5 1/4" x 4 1/4"


Here's a side view when it was almost finished so you can see a little more of the layering, and truer colors.

Let's see... I started this one by picking out a main image to use, which is a sunflower collage by PSX. Sorry it's such an old one and may be harder to find - it's another stamp from a used sale recently. I knew I wanted a worn look, so I lightlly brayered Distress Antique Linen over a sheet of yellowy cream cs.

*tip*

Always make more of a background than you're planning to use so you can restamp mistakes, add matching embellishments, or add coordinating elements to your envelope.

I stamped the main image three times, using black Staz-On ink. I used colored pencils to color parts of the three - on the first just the border, on the second just the sunflower and smaller panels attached, and the third the butterfly and square. I then trimmed these and layered with pop-dots (see sideview). There are great artwork examples and full directions for this style of stamping (Paper Tole) in the 06/03 Technique Junkies newsletter. I tore around the edge of the panel and set it aside.

*tip*

When doing this technique, I don't color in the whole panel on every layer, but I do like to add a little coordinating color around the edges that might show under the next layer if the card is tilted at an angle, etc.

On the textured off-white cardfront I just inked up the main image stamp with the Antique Linen, used a sponge to wipe off the hard border lines and stamped it repeatedly.

For the dark ochre panel, I stamped the Stampin' Up! Scratched bkgd stamp in Antique Linen, and then sponged the same around the edges. I wrapped a large piece of twill I had distressed with the Antique Linen straight from the pad around the ochre panel, and then put three antique brass brads thru as shown. I find that you can't beat the ATG 1/2" "tape" for these types of tacking down, as it gives the fabric enough to cling to but never shows thru.

*tip*

When putting brads thru fabric and ribbon, I like to use an Exacto knife to make a starter hole. Make sure the blade is good and sharp, place project over a foam pad, and push the tip of the blade into the material so there is a small cut.

I was going to leave it this way, as the sideview shows, but I wanted more of a border. So I used some of my leftover background, stamped the main image stamp again with the Staz-On and cut a square from the area I liked. I cut the square on the diagonal, stacked both pieces, and cut a notch for a photo corner look. Still too plain, lol, so I used a Timeless Touches Fiber Friend ruler (with spaced pierced holes) and a piercing tool to punch a border. Then I just connected the dashes with a Signo Uniball white gel pen, and used the sponge with some Antique Linen on it to lightly go over so it wasn't quite so stark white.

I layered it all as shown and that's it! (Well, except that after I had scanned it and written this, I decided the ochre border was too harsh, so I used my fingernail to rough it up all around and now it's perfect LOL So I think I'll stop thinking about it now! Before I find something that can only be changed by prying a layer up ROTFLMBO ;o)