Simple, Extraordinary Things

I am loving the Love Fest over at Splitcoaststampers! This card is for Verve's In Love With Color Challenge. There were two options to choose from, and I'm using the aqua, brown, and pink palette.

I know absolutely nothing about watercoloring, but this LaBlanche stamp looked like that's what it needed, so I gave it a go. This is one of those times when making a shabby, distressed card is essential. It's great for camouflaging all my less-than-stellar skills. ;) 

Did some shabby sewing, ripping the stitches out in a couple of places. Remember, when doing that to distress the back of the paper that is going to show, too. The edges of the dp were distressed with a Distrezz-it-All and Distress Ink, then I spritzed the edges with water to create a stained look.

I used Carribean Blue Glimmer Mist on a paper doily from the grocery store, then sponged a little Tea Dye Distress Ink on it. I accidentally tore the doily while sponging, but, it's a shabby card, so it fit right in. I used a few mini staples to hold the image panel on. 

Ivory seam binding dyed with Distress Reinkers made a fab bow, but since more is always better, I distressed some twine with ink, then added it, along with a metal brad. I left the tails extra long.

I don't often sew inside my cards, but I was having so much fun with this one, I just couldn't resist. I distressed the dp the same way I did on the front. The sentiment panel is watercolor paper. It's amazing how hard it is to get something to look this dirty without it looking fake. Can you tell that the brown spot in the lower left corner is the same bird's nest stamp that is on the front of the card? When I wet the paper to age it, the stamp lost a lot of detail. Don't you love that quote? It's perfect for someone who makes handcrafted things, and this card is for a friend who recently gave me a gorgeous handcrafted sweetgrass basket. 

I've found that when I dry wet dp with my heat gun, it becomes stiff and brittle, so the curved up edges on the inside of this card are fairly inflexible, and it doesn't close all the way. Adds just a little bit more vintage-y feel to it, I think.

Well, I'm off to make another card. Thanks for stopping by today. I hope to be back real soon--I've got to make seven more cards in the next four days if I want to complete all the Love Fest challenges! :)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Splitcoaststampers Love Fest Challenge: LOVEFEST2013J (In Love With Color by Verve--aqua, brown, & pink)
Simon Says Stamp & Show Challenge: Metal-ology

~Hugs,

 

Stamps: Bird's Nest (LaBlanche); Little Things (Our Daily Bread)
Paper: Life's Journey (K&Co); The Basics (The Paper Studio); watercolor paper
Ink: Distress Ink & Reinkers; Memento; Glimmer Mist
Dies: Curved Rectangles (Spellbinders)
Accessories: Seam binding dyed with reinkers (Hug Snug); paper doily; mini staples; brad; twine (The Twinery); sewing thread; Distrezz-it-All
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Thanks for visiting my blog!

To have Ink Up delivered to your inbox,

subscribe in the box at the top right of the page.