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!
