Thursday, April 17, 2008

You Brighten My Day

I always enjoy a fun challenge, and Verve's current inspiration challenge, based on a quartet of gorgeous pillows, is no exception. Like many of the other girls, I was drawn to the colors and the floral theme. I also wanted to bring in some of the texture from all the beautiful embroidery, beadwork, and lace.

The first thing I did was to search through my patterned papers, which is quite unusual for a patterned paper-phobic girl like me. But I got lucky and found this mustard-colored, tone-on-tone diamond pattern on what I would call the back side of a Scrapworks pattern. I knew it would be perfect because the pattern has almost a fabric look to it. I cut it down to a square, in keeping with the square shape of the pillows, sponged the edges with More Mustard, and machine stitched it onto a More Mustard mat.

Next, I added some flowers using Fancy Florals Remixed. First, I stamped the largest flower from the set three times on Very Vanilla, twice in So Saffron and once in More Mustard, then added a Tempting Turquoise center to the More Mustard flower, trimmed them all out and stacked them (the top layer is raised up on dimensional adhesive). To pick up on the embroidery from the pillows, would you believe I tried using embroidery floss to add French knots to each of the turquoise stamen? Well let's just say great idea, but I haven't done any embroidering since Girl Scouts, so I had to scrap that idea in favor of some I could actually do - piercing. I made a second, smaller flower using the medium-size versions of the same images, then topped off both flowers with half-pearls in the centers. Some More Mustard stems, a sentiment from Thoughtful Florals, and a Tempting Turquoise scalloped mat finished off my main panel.

[Note: the Tempting Turquoise scalloped mat behind the patterned paper square was done with a corner rounder. If you were to turn over this panel, you'd see four strips carefully positioned so that the scallops meet at each corner. A good alternative to Nestabilities if you don't have those (of if they're backordered!).]

To finish the card, I adhered the whole panel with dimensional adhesive onto a square of So Saffron card stock that was dry embossed with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder, and then attached everything to a Tempting Turquoise card base. Finished card size: 5" square.

I hope you're feeling inspired by these pillows, too! Remember, you have until midnight Tuesday (Mountain Time) to link up your pillow-inspired project for a chance to win $15 in Verve bucks!! Go to THIS POST to enter. Then on Wednesday, sneak peeks begin for the two new sets -- can't wait!

Stamps: Fancy Florals Remixed, Thoughtful Florals
Paper: So Saffron, More Mustard, Very Vanilla, Tempting Turquoise (SU!); Canvas Collection "Citrus Burst" (Scrapworks)
Ink: So Saffron, More Mustard, Tempting Turquoise (SU!)
Accessories: Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder; sewing machine; word window punch, corner rounder, paper piercer, dimensionals, and Pretties kit (SU!)