Tale of Two Cards

One cardstock, one embossing folder, a handful of Distress Ink pads with a blending tool, and some Perfect Pearls to make two backgrounds that are very different and end up as two different cards.

This is a much longer post since it details both cards.

Supplies

InLinkz.com

Putting It Together

This project started with a seed of an idea. I wanted to use the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Bear Hugs (an adorable little bear with a heart designed by Rachelle Anne Miller) and put "Get Well Soon" across the heart. From that, I decided I wanted to do a background with an embossing folder. And so the tale begins.

My intent was to make a 5 1/2" x 4" card so I trimmed the coral cardstock to 5" x 3 1/2" for a nice 1/4" border of plain white from the card base.

I decided I wanted the little diamonds to be embossed with the larger area debossed. This meant I would be using the folder in the 'reverse' if one considers the side with the labeling as the front. Using Picked Raspberry and Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink, I inked up the side I wanted as the front. This gives the debossed area a bit of colour.

The colour change is minor since this cardstock has such a strong colour on its own and the embossing doesn't transfer as much colour as the blending tool directly.

To test how the colours were going to look on the card stock when applied by blender tool, I took a swatch of the cardstock (some that had been trimmed off earlier) and sampled some of the colours I have (at this time I only have 12 of the Distress Inks). I didn't like how Peacock Feathers or Mowed Grass looked with the coral, so I put them back in the tin.

I started with the Picked Raspberry. The blending tool hits the embossed areas the most, but does lightly hit the debossed area as well, moreso with the amount of pressure used.

After adding Spided Marmalade, Seedless Preserves, and Salty Ocean, I thought it might be a bit dark for the project I had in my head. I decided to try a lighter combo.

On the second panel I used only the Picked Raspberry and Spiced Marmelade. Here are the two panels at this point with only Distress Ink.

On the darker panel, I brushed on some Grape Fizz Perfect Pearls to add a purple iridescence.

On both panels I spritzed a mist of water with White Confetti Perfect Pearls. This gives the panels a bit of sparkle without any glitter to rub off.

Adding water to Distress Ink "activates" it and heightens the blending.

I blotted a little of the liquid away with a paper towel and then used a heat tool to dry the panels.

Adding a bit more ink to the edges of the panel gives it a nice finish. Since I was, at this point, sure I would be using the light panel, I used Picked Raspberries on the edge of the light panel. (I actually held the panel up and flicked the blending tool on the edge but I can't do that and click the camera, too. I need one more hand *laugh*)

I decided the bear would be a bit over powering if he were full-coloured. I stamped the bear with his heart on to Confetti White paper with Merlot pigment ink.

Using a stitched rectangle die, I cut the bear out as a small panel.

I dry fit the bear on both of the embossed panels. He looked good on both but I liked him just a little bit better on the darker one. Back to the original *laugh*

On to the embellishing. I found a ribbon (glitter grosgrain fuchsia) and twine (strawberry slush) and then went to look for a button. I've been making a few buttons out of resin using various coloring and finishing techniques, a wide variety from which to choose.

I tried a few different buttons in different sizes, styles, and colours.

I decided on a small teal blue button, resin coloured with Pearl Ex. So now to assemble the card.

I cut a short length of the twine and tied it around the twine still on the spool. This will make the bow in a bit of a cheat.

I threaded both sides of the short piece through the holes of the button and tied it in a bow on top of the button.

I added a little bit of Multi-Medium Matte under the knot to affix the bow to the button and trimmed the dangling strings of the bow.

With the button selected, I used it to select the colour for the sentiment.

The stamping of the teal blue was a bit mushy so I stamped over with black. This gives the black a drop shadow of teal which ended up being perfect and I didn't need to re-stamp the bear.

I wrapped the glitter grosgrain ribbon around the embossed panel and affixed it with tape.

I put down a dot of Multi-Medium on the spot for the button and held the button in place for a few seconds.

Like the ribbon, I used tape to adhere the twine to the back.

I put foam mounting tape on the back of the bear panel leaving a gap for the ribbon. This will allow the panel to sit above the emboss panel and not have a 'bump' where the ribbon is.

The bear panel tucks under the button and bow.

And now I start to consider the small card is too small to hold this cuteness. I also wanted to tie in more with the button and the shadow behind the sentiment.

I tried a few different papers: foil cardstock, a couple papers from a Kaisercraft pad, and a paper from a Recollections pad. I accidentally miscut the background I selected (the one in the lower right above) and tried another which ended up being just right.

Dry fit together. The background is ferny leaves with touched of foiled gold.

I lightly coloured the edges of the background paper with Peacock Feathers and then put adhesive on the back and directly adhered it to the card base with a white edge showing.

Like the bear panel, I added mounting foam tape to the embossed panel leaving a gap for the ribbon and twine to prevent bowing.

At this point I was tidying up my work space and I put the light coral embossed panel with some brown embossed panels I had made the day before while making a technique video as part of a blog post for a different card (http://rijacki.blogspot.com/2016/05/gesundheit.html).

Something about this combo sang to me. On my table I have had a packet of feather chipboard embellishments looking for a project. I laid a feather in its swoopy shape alone the corner of the panel and an idea blossomed.

I used Distress Ink (Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry, and Spiced Marmalade) to colour the feather. I brushed it with Grape Fizz Perfect Pearls and finished it with Mod Podge gloss. While it was drying, I thought about the rest of the layout and thought how nice my new Thanks die would look. I dry fit with another feather.

I considered the paper to use for the thanks and decided on the iridescent translucent Spellbinders paper. I didn't want the Thanks paper to overpower the background.

I cut the Thanks and dry fit it with the uncoloured feather.

I ran the Thanks through the Xyron to add adhesive to the entire word. One way to hide adhesive behind a translucent piece is to apply it to the entire background. I glued the feather to the panel with Multi-Medium matte. I like how the gold looks almost a part of the embossed panel.

I added mounting foam to the back with a small piece in the centre to help prevent it being crushed.

I placed the panel on the white card base slightly askew, unintentionally. By the time I noticed, I could not reposition it without damage.

And after this incredibly long blog post, I come to the end of the tale of the two cards.