A Fabulous Flower Card

When I first discovered Stampin' Up! this was the first set that caught my eye! I love the huge flower and the sentiment... Today I am using it as part of a color challenge on the demo side of Splitcoast Stampers. For this month's WICKED color challenge, we had to use Tangerine Tango, Always Artichoke, Bordering Blue, and Basic Black. I had fun trying them out! Here is what I came up with:



Goodies:
All goodies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Fabulous Flowers set; Dreams DuJour set; En Francais background stamp
Ink: Bordering Blue, Always Artichoke, Tangerine Tango, and Basic Black classic inks
Paper: Basic Black, Always Artichoke, Whisper White, Bordering Blue card stock
Other: Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Basic Black narrow grosgrain ribbon, Paper Piercer, Filigree Designer Brads, Sponge Daubers, Blender Pen, Stamp-a-ma-jig

I started by stamping the flower three times with Tangerine Tango ink on Whisper White card stock. I cut one out whole, one out around the middle section of petals and one out around just the center of petals. I used dimensionals to build them up into a three dimensional flower. I used a 2 way glue pen to trace one side of each petal and add Dazzling Diamonds glitter to it. What a mess I had! All those petals... hee!

Next, I got busy on the background pieces. I knew I wanted to use En Francais on the Bordering blue so I cut a square and stamped it out with Bordering Blue ink. I sponged around the edge- I think it gives it a more finished look. Then I added the piercings around the edge and gave it a mat. I distressed that a little bit with my Decor Elements tool- it is what you are supposed to use to put those giant rub-ons on your wall but it makes a great little distresser, too! Hee!

For the Always Artichoke piece in the background, I got out my trusty Stamp-a-ma-jig and the butterfly stamp from Dreams DuJour. I stamped a pattern using Always Artichoke ink. I also sponged around the edges of this piece, too.

I decided to create my sentiment panel next, stamping it onto Whisper White card stock with Basic Black ink. Since I don't have the Stampin' Up! markers yet (please Santa bring them!) I used a blender pen with the residual ink from the Always Artichoke stamp pad to color in the 'fabulous' part. I cut the piece to the right size, added piercings around the edge then matted it in black, using dimensionals for a little more pop!

This is when I started the layout part of the card... I was planning on a square card so I cut a piece of Basic Black card stock to 11 x 5 1/2" and folded it in half. Next I set out my pieces where I thought they would go and moved them around until I saw what it needed... ribbon! I added a little piece around the bottom of the Bordering Blue panel. Then, I felt it needed a little something along the side... Filigree brads! I haven't used them yet and I love how they look here! I glued down the panels and added the sentiment and flower with dimensionals. And then I was done! I almost added leaves but my husband thought it would be too busy... I do love how it turned out though!

OK.... now that I've written a short novel about how I made the silly card, I better get back to my real job! My babies are pulling at my legs this morning wanting all of my attention! Off to play dress up and doll house!

-tessa