How Many Circles Do You See?

Happy Thursday!  Wow, the past week has just flown right by and I've had very little crafting time.  We've had two major snowstorms which have resulted in many, many snow days at my house.  I figured snow days would mean plenty of crafting time, but I've hardly had a moment to step foot in my craft room!  My kids have had a blast playing in the snow and it's been fun to have the whole family home together, but I'm glad the snow is starting to melt and we're getting back to our routine again.

I created this card for three challenges.  The Try a New Technique challenge at Splitcoast Stampers this week asks us to use circles on a card.  The Teapot Tuesday challenge (also at Splitcoast Stampers) asked us to use circles while drawing inspiration from this week's tea set.  And for the first time ever, I am entering the weekly challenge (Week 61) at Pixie's Crafty Workshop because I used snippets of scraps from my craft drawer for several pieces on this card.  Those girls with their snippets are such a hoot, and I'm so glad I get to join them this week!

Here's my card:

Another view, which hopefully shows the inlaid embossing better:

This card uses one of my favorite techniques, the inlaid embossing technique.  I saw a card using the technique with solid-colored circles on Pinterest, so I drew my inspiration for my background circles from that card, which can be seen HERE.  I love it when I can CASE (Copy and Share Everything) a card or idea and change it a bit to create something of my own!

I started by die cutting several circles out of snippets of paper from one of my favorite matstacks.  I adhered them to a piece of pale purple card stock, then ran the entire panel through my Big Shot and the Square Lattice embossing folder.  I embossed a piece of shimmery pale purple paper with the Spots and Dots embossing folder, then adhered that over the circles.  I attached the entire piece to an Elegant Eggplant card base.  I stamped the verse in Elegant Eggplant on Natural White card stock, then die cut it and attached it to a die cut piece of Elegant Eggplant.  I attached this panel using Stampin' Dimensionals.  I added several sizes of pearls to the circles on the shimmery pale purple panel for a final "circles" touch.

I've lost count of how many circles are on this card!  Too many?  I hope not!  

I have a couple of square cards that I'm finishing up today.  I'm planning to post them tomorrow, so I hope you'll visit again soon.  Thanks for stopping by!

Products Used:

Stamp: Scripture Series 3 (Our Daily Bread Designs)

Ink: Elegant Eggplant (Stampin' Up!)

Paper: Latte Matstack (DCWV); Elegant Eggplant card stock (Stampin' Up!); Classic Crest Natural White (Neenah); shimmery pale purple paper (from a scrap bag at cutcardstock.com); 

pale purple card stock (unknown)

Tools and Accessories: Nestabilities Standard Circles Large (Spellbinders); Square Lattice embossing folder (Stampin' Up!); Nestabilities Labels One (Spellbinders); Spots and Dots embossing folder (Provo Craft); 

pearls (KaiserCraft)

Watercolored Poppies for Sherry

Happy Thursday!  I looked out my window this morning to see that God has blessed us with rain.  We've been in a drought for quite awhile now, so rain is most welcome where I live!  (Since I use natural light for photographing my cards and today was quite a dreary day, I hope you'll forgive the poor photo quality on this post.)

I'm running behind on my Teapot Tuesday challenge at Splitcoast Stampers this week, but I finally finished my card last night.  This week's recipient is a lovely lady whose husband died last year and she needs some cheering up.  We were asked to make "thinking of you" cards with flowers, and perhaps a butterfly or two.  After I went to bed last night I realized I forgot the butterflies!  So I will add a couple to the inside liner of my card before mailing it to her.  I am also submitting this card for the current Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge, where the theme this week is "nature".  In the midst of winter, it was nice to take a break and make a flower card!

Here's my card: 

While I usually make A2 sized cards (4.25" x 5.5"), this time I wanted to make something a little different.  This card is 3" x 5 3/8", a rather odd size, but I liked the way it worked for my design.  Sometimes you just have to mix things up a bit!

I started by stamping my image and sentiment in StazOn Timber Brown on watercolor paper, then I watercolored my image.  I attached the stamped panel to a piece of brown card stock and trimmed to fit.  I made a card base from some lightly textured dark green card stock and cut a smaller piece of the same card stock to put in the middle section of my stamped panel.  I embossed the smaller green piece using the Square Lattice embossing folder, then adhered it to my watercolored panel.  I wrapped jute around the center section and secured it with a decorative brad.  (The brad is a bit bulky and heavy so I also used a mini glue dot to hold it in place.)  I attached the panel to my card base and added a liner to the inside for writing.       

It's been a busy week at my house, and I'm so glad we've almost made it to Friday!  I hope you have a wonderful day.  Thanks for stopping by!

Products Used:

Ink: Timber Brown (StazOn)

Stamps: Poppies (Penny Black); Sincere Salutations (Stampin' Up!)

Paper: Watercolor paper (Strathmore); dark green card stock, dark brown card stock (unknown)

Tools and Accessories: Watercolor crayons (Staedtler); watercolor pencils (Prismacolor);
Square Lattice embossing folder (Stampin' Up!); brad (Recollections); jute (unknown)