Peace Hope Love

  

Hello Blog Friends! Notice anything different on my blog? I've got my new Terrific Top 3 badge from CR84FN Color Challenge over there on my sidebar! Isn't it the cutest! Thanks again to the DT at CR84FN for choosing my card as a Top 3!

The August Viva la Verve sketch challenge is almost over for this month, and I was thinking I might not get all five cards made, but I did it! This is the last one. The theme for this week's Shabby Tea Room challenge is "Birthstones," so I incorporated it into this card, also. And, since my birthday is in November, I was "inspired" by the Topaz.

This card began as a blue and gold card--gold for Topaz and blue for Blue Topaz. The Blue Topaz is actually sometimes used for a December birthstone, but since I used to dislike the color of my birthstone (has anyone ever actually liked having the Topaz as their birthstone as a child?), I always used the Blue Topaz, figuring a topaz is a topaz. Anyway, by the time I got around to actually putting this card together, I ended up with a completely different color scheme of brown, gold and red and turned it into a Christmas card. A few weeks ago, I set myself a goal of at least one Christmas card a week, which I am already behind on, so maybe this was my subconscious mind getting me back on track. ;)

(For all the paper edges in this card, including the inside, I sponged either Tea Dye, Walnut Stain, or Black Soot Distress Ink before gluing them down.) 

I started by stamping floral motifs, from Verve's Sunny Days set, in gold pigment ink onto the brown cardstock. You can see them in the photo, but in person, they sparkle and shine. Then, I glued the patterned paper rectangles to dark red cardstock, leaving just a teeny little red edge showing. I zig zagged the edges with gold thread and was careful not to go over the red edges. For the tag, I used a tag stamp from Verve's Sweet Treats set and heat embossed with gold glitter embossing powder, then cut it with the Sweet Scallop die. I put a large eyelet in the top of the tab so I could add the glitter ribbon. That is some seriously stiff (and flaky) ribbon. I had brown glitter everywhere by the time I had it tied to the tag. It was in the Halloween dollar bin at Joann's. I bought four different colors, but once it's used up, I probably won't buy any more. The sentiment is from Flourishes Holiday Greetings set.

On the sketch, there is a circle added to the tag, but I didn't want to cover up this one, so I used two of the circle Spellbinders dies to cut a circular frame out of red cardstock. I made glitter glue with Mod Podge and red glitter and painted it on the frame. After it dried, I added it to the tag. I love the way it turned out. Finally, I tied a yellow ribbon on and added a large gem brad in "topaz" gold.

For the inside, I used another stamp from the same Flourishes set, punched the corners of the white cardstock with a Fleur de Lis edger, and layered up the brown, red, and gingham papers as a frame. I just love how having just a sliver of red showing creates a piping cord effect.  

Thanks for stopping by! Have yourself a terrific Tuesday!

 

Stamps: Sunny Days & Sweet Treats (Verve); Holiday Greetings (Flourishes)

Paper: Gingerbread Fun (Designs by Krista-digital paper); The Breathe Paper Collection (Prima); Bazzill Basics; Coredinations; The Paper Studio

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink; Stampabilities; Colorbox; Staz-On

Dies: Sweet Scallop Tag Die (Verve); Standard Circles Lg (Spellbinders)

Accessories: Fleur de Lis Edger (EK Success); Gold Glitter Embossing Powder (Zing); Red Glitter (Martha Stewart); glitter ribbon (Joann); satin ribbon (Michael's); gem brad (Recollections); eyelet (We R Memory Keepers); Mod Podge; foam dots

Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

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