Sophia Paper Swap Sneak Peek

You know how when you're super busy and you think you can't say yes to anything else...and then something comes along you really want to say yes too? So I got an invite to re-join Tina Lovell's sweet swap group, and I thought, "Awesome!" Did I say I was too busy to add something else to my plate right now? Oh, well!

 So when I'm doing a swap I tend to add details I would never normally try to mass produce. In this case, I only have to make 4 cards for the swap, so I don't feel pressured to keep it too simple - hooray!

I used my NEW CTMH 2" scallop punch to create the neat folded flowers. I spritzed my cardstock scallop punched pieces with a light misting of water...ok, stamp pad cleaner - it was the closest wet thing on my table besides the Pepsi Max. Then I scrunched the scallops until the paper was more pliable and folded them in half each way, plus once on a diagonal in between the crosshatch I made with the first two  foldings. Then you squeeze the diagonal fold into the center to create the flower petal - like making a squash book, only for flowers!  Put four of those folds together and it's a pretty cute multi-layer flower. I sanded each flower "petal", then inked them with Goldrush ink as well.  Two of our adorable new Pink assortment craft buttons finished off my paper folded flower nicely. I love all the new button designs - striped, flowered, all so sweet!

This paper is the new Sophia paper, which will be available in February. It's so cute - all pink and green. I swiped all my papers with Goldrush ink on the edges for more definition, and grabbed my "so sweet" sentiment from the fabulous Sweetheart Workshop kit exclusive stamp set. I pulled the flower's leaves from there as well - they are the wings from the big butterfly!

Finally, to match the stitched detail on the leaves/butterfly wings, I actually stitched all around the card front. I know - you can pick up your jaw now. I am a super big advocate of stamping a stitched line around the card with Simple Stitches, but I felt like I needed some extra pop for this card swap, so for 4 cards worth I did it. But I totally cheated too! I cut a tiny 1/4 inch strip from the tiny floral print in the Sophia packet and used the flower centers as a guide to where to poke my stitch holes evenly. Then I took a strand of waxy flax - one of my favorite products ever. It's a waxed floss, so you don't even need a needle. I separated the 4 stands of the waxy flax so I had a super delicate stitch line and ran it in and out of the holes - the wax makes the floss hold it's shape while you work with it. No needle, no delicate floss breaking from my awesome stitching technique, super fast - waxy flax is genius!