From My Heart

Hello all!  I love doing black and white cards and this one ticked all the boxes for me.  I started by simply embossing some black card using the Creative Expressions Floral embossing folder.    Next I stamped the Victorian Tile background stamp from Justrite on black card using a clear perfect medium pad.  I heat embossed it with white powder.  I trimmed it down and matted it with black and white mats and taped it to the centre of my embossed background.  I used the Victorian Tile background stamp again, but this time on black card with a perfect medium and clear embossing powder for a tone on tone look.  I used the Vintage Label and banner die and cut out the largest shape.   I stamped the smaller matching die from the Vintage Pearl Label set using a black archival ink pad on white card and clear embossing powder.  I cut it out with the matching die and then made a faux nestie die by drawing around the outside of the die and hand cutting a white die to mat my shape.  I stamped the image once more and cut out the centre circle, stamped my sentiment inside, then covered it with a self adhesive sticky sheet.  I trimmed the sheet to the same size as my circle, peeled the backing paper and covered it with micro beads.  I mounted it with foam in the middle to complete my focal feature.  I tied a messy bow out of white seam binding.  I used some black jute twine tied into a bow below it and mounted it the the lower left of my feature.  I made a white six petal rose using the same method as my tutorial on the Creative expressions website.  I wanted to add some interest to it so I used the Ranger crackle accents on it.  You can see it a bit better in the close ups below.  I finished my card with cosmic shimmer white PVA glue dots around the edge as accents.  I know that many of you don't care for this shape, but I love it, it isn't just a one trick pony.  It easily goes both masculine and feminine and that makes it a very versatile die shape to add to your crafting arsenal.  You can pull it out for a quick card for any occasion!  Finished dimensions are 6 1/2" x 7 1/2" in size.  All for now, Sue x