This week, Jennifer of Styles Ink is hosting the One Layer Wednesday challenge. She drew a sketch to work with. Keep in mind that this needs to be one piece of card stock folded and stamped. NO LAYERS.
The first thing I thought of for the border was the Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder. I wasn't sure quite how to keep the space in the middle from being embossed. I remembered that I had bought some chipboard nested squares quite awhile back and decided to give that a try. It took several tries to get the right amount of pressure, and I doubt I could do it again, but it worked, sort of. It's not perfect, but it's handmade and not supposed to be perfect, right?
This morning, when I checked SCS to see what the Ways to Use It challenge was, and saw the title Flower Frenzy, I knew what I wanted to put inside the frame.
I laid a sticky note on each side of the unembossed section, inked the stamp with markers and stamped in the center. By the way, the little single flower works great if your flower head doesn't stamp perfectly. Mine leaves a little gap in the center. I just stamp over the light spots with that single flower.
Then I used the blender pen to blend the colors a bit and give it a watercolor feel. Since it's one layer, and not watercolor paper, I blended lightly so as not to bleed through to the inside.
Used an acrylic block as a guide to draw the lines. Yeah, I overshot a bit on the bottom and have a row of polka dots inside the frame. Not bad enough to trash it, I hope.
I thought a bit of bling in the corners would be fun.
This card is 5" square. It's a bit wider than the EF. Last week my friend Susan explained, on her blog, how to emboss an area larger than the folder. Run it through once, then turn it around, match up the embossing and run it through again. Thanks Susan for the tip.
Card Recipe
Stamps: Because I Care
Ink: SU Markers (Pear Pizzazz, Concord Crush)
Paper: Whisper White
Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots EF, Basic Rhinestones
Since I used a combination of In Colors, I think I'll enter this one in the Jac-Inks Challenge too.
I'm so glad you stopped in today. Enjoy!
Bonnie
How can one not love a card with a hydrangea on it?
ReplyDeleteAnd the embossed dots really make a perfect background!
A simply lovely card!
Thanks for playing along with OLW47
I really love that flower! I love how you only embossed the outside edges. I definitely need to figure this out! I tried one time, and I think I didn't have enough layers in the center. Awesome card!!
ReplyDeleteHi there, You clever old thing! I too thought of embossed dots and chickened out because I didn't know how to do it but you've managed beautifully! Love your pretty card:0) xxx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card. Clever idea for the center. Loe your coloring.
ReplyDeleteI love how inventive you are Bonnie. You seem to think of a project and then just figure out how to get it to work! This works beautifully! Thanks for the single flower tip too.
ReplyDeleteThis is so pretty, Bonnie! You did a fabulous job creating an open frame, especially since this was an OLC!! Wow, great thinking. :)
ReplyDeleteAh, I love hydrangeas. And I love the rich purplish blue you used here on your OLC. I like how you really gave a lot of thought to what you could do by not adding any layers or popping anything up. The embossed dots were a great choice, 'cause you got the texture without breaking 'the rules'.
ReplyDeleteoh Bonnie...this is beautiful!! Why didn't I think of embossing?? Love the hydrangeas...a simply lovely card!!
ReplyDeleteThe hydrangea is just beautiful and you did a really good job with your clean space.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great card Bonnie and what a fab idea on how to mask out embossing in the centre, I wondered hoe to do it. lovely colouring on the hydrangea.
ReplyDeleteJennie X
This is beautiful! How clever to use the dotted swiss as your border design. I forgot that it had to be one layer (don't ask me how I could forget that One Layer Wed. needs to be one layer!) I not only layered mine, but even DOUBLE layered it--duh! Good thing I have a sense of humor...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card. I love how you've embossed the outer edges. I haven't figured this out yet, but I'm inspired to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteA super card Bonnie. You've created such a fresh feeling with the hand drawn border and the dots are great. Love the Hydrangea too. Thanks so much for joining us at jac-inks challenge 5.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card Bonnie... hydrangeas always remind me of happy times at nanna's (grandmother) house when we were kids :-) Very pretty and love the way you've somehow kept the dots to the outside - very clever. Thanks for playing at Jac-Inks!
ReplyDelete