Brocade On Parade

I'm a huge polka dot fan and this zany card received plenty of them.  If there's a two sided patterned paper, you can be certain I'll choose the polka side.  But, what was I thinking when I decided to cut out this Brocade Basics stem?  I must confess, at least half an hour went into just snipping the stem.  Didn't I recently promise to focus on simpler cards? 

This card started out innocent enough.  A Whisper White card base topped by layers of Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise and Always Artichoke.  The perfect "polka dotty" touch was to add dots around the edges of the Old Olive card stock and sponge the Tempting Turquoise in Always Artichoke.  The artichoke layer was stamped with the Polka Dot Background stamp in Versamark ink, covered with white embossing powder and heat embossed for added pizzazz.  The edges were again sponged in artichoke. 

This is where the insanity kicked in.  I stamped the Brocade stem on Whisper White (inked in Old Olive).  I then used a blender pen to add some turquoise to the open areas on the leaves.  OK, not totally nutso yet.  I then made the brilliant decision to cut out the image.  Bit by bit my paper snips whittled for over half an hour.  I then decided to add more dots to the stem and around the leaves.  TIP:  The Signo Gel Pen used takes some time to dry so be sure to cut before you add the dots.  Otherwise, you risk smearing the dots.  I had "dandy" time delicately adding glue to the skinny pieces of entire stem.

I then punched a scallop circle from Tempting Turquoise card stock.  The Boho Blossoms stamp was stamped twice on White . . . first in Always Artichoke and second in Tempting Turquoise.  I punched the artichoke image with a 1 1/4" Circle Punch and the Tempting Turquoise image with a 1" Circle Punch.  All were assembled with a snap using a Crop-a-Dile and mounted on Stampin' Dimensionals.  Of course, I opted to use the Signo Pen to dot each scallop. No part of this card was immune from dots.

The small flower is from the One of a Kind set, Tempting Turquoise stamped on Whisper White.  It emerges on it's own with a little help of the Boho Blossom Bunch.  I added a snap and mounted it on dimensionals. 

The sentiment is from Fundamental Phrases, which I just received.  TIP:  It's an incredibly versatile set of 24 phrases which I consider a "little black dress" of sentiments.  I popped "so sorry" out with the small oval punch and layered it with a couple dimensionals on a large oval punch of Turquoise (also sponged in artichoke).

So much for my Stampin' 911 (10 minutes or less) concept.  This was a good hour and a half card project.  I'm confident you have been there, too? 

Hugs and Pretties . . . M

A Little Stampin' Up! News . . . .

Beginning April 1, Stampin' Up!'s on-line catalog will no longer offer the left side navigation option for product searches (by description or product number).  While I have sent off a not so positive reaction to this decision, I wanted to let you know.  As a result, I will be discontinuing including product numbers in my product lists.

Also, be sure to check out the Wild Wasabi card stock offer, available through April 30.

Stamp Sets: Brocade Basics, Polka Dot Background, Boho Backgrounds, One of a Kind, Fundamental Phrases
Paper:  Whisper White, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise, Always Artichoke
Ink:  Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise, Always Artichoke, Versamark
Cool Tools:  Scallop Circle Punch, 1" and 1 1/4" Circle Punches, Large and Small Oval Punches, Sponges, Heat Tool, Blender Pens, Crop-A-Dile
The Perfect Touch:  White Signo Gel Pen, White Embossing Powder, Stampin' Dimensionals, Non SU Snaps