EDEN'S GARDEN - ON THE DIAG

Today the border die in the Eden Dies set was speaking to me to use it to decorate the edge of one of my favorite layouts -- which I call "On the DIAG".  You probably need to be a Michigan Wolverine graduate to appreciate the name.  The DIAG is green space on the University of Michigan campus where several walkways run across it on the diagonal.  It is a place where events are held and friends gather.  This diagonal layout is one of my favorites, and it reminds me of that special place.  I guess you could say I'm drawn to it like an old friend.

The Basic White background is embossed with one of my favorite things from the new Spring Mini Catalog, the new Gingham Embossing Folder.  On the Basic White Diagonal, I stamped various leaves from the Eden's Garden Stamp Set with Granny Apple Green Ink.  This is such a happy green, isn't it?  After the leaves were stamped, I embossed the panel with the Tasteful Textile 3D embossing folder.

The card base and the diagonal border are Fresh Freesia.   

Have you ever had an idea or vision of what you wanted, but struggled to get it to turn out like you pictured it in your mind?  That was my challenge with the center bouquet on this card.

I wanted to use the large flower from the Eden's Garden Stamp Set for the center focal point.  But I also envisioned a multi-color bouquet.   My initial plan was use Stampin Write Markers to color the stamp with different colors, but I was not able to get an image with which I was happy.  Perhaps DisINKtive stamps are not made for this technique; I'm not sure.

Inking the image with a stamp pad resulted in a much better image, so out came my Stamparatus.  By using the Stamparatus, I could selectively ink various areas of the bouquet with different color ink pads and stamp them one color at a time. It took a little experimentation, but I finally achieved an image I was satisfied with.  What do you think?  Colors I used were Fresh Freesia, Granny Apple Green, Calypso Coral, and Coastal Cabana.  For the tiny Coastal Cabana flowers and dots I just used a Stampin' Write Marker, not the Stamparatus.

After I added the large flower bouquet over the Granny Apple Green leaves on the diagonal strip, I thought it needed some bling, so I tucked various stems and leaves from the Expressions in Ink Ephemera Pack behind the flower.  That was a quick and simple fix.  I need to remember to use that Ephemera Pack more often! The pack has lots and lots of shiny, gold pre-cut trim pieces.  All you have to do is pop them out of the sheet and add them to your card.

For the sentiment I used "Sending Hugs" from the Eden's Garden Stamp Set.  Staying with the theme of gold accents,  I heat embossed it with gold and then die cut with the Stitched So Sweetly Dies.  I will be so sad if these dies ever retire.  

For the inside of the card, I kept it clean and simple.

The sentiment is from the Peaceful Moments Stamp Set.  A die cut Fresh Freesia border was added to the bottom of the card.

You can use this link to download a FREE TUTORIAL with all the dimensions and directions to create this card.  

A complete product list is shown below, but remember, you can always adapt these ideas to use products you already have.

Product List

Eden's Garden Bundle (English) [157832]	Peaceful Moments Cling Stamp Set (English) [151595]	Stitched So Sweetly Dies [151690]	Fresh Freesia 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [155613]
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [159229]	Fresh Freesia Classic Stampin' Pad [155611]	Granny Apple Green Stampin' Pad [147095]	Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad [147101]
Versamark Pad [102283]	Brights Stampin' Write Markers [147157]	Gingham Embossing Folder [157627]	Tasteful Textile 3 D Embossing Folder [152718]
Expressions In Ink Ephemera Pack [155465]	Simply Elegant Trim [155766]	Metallic Pearls [146282]	Metallics Embossing Powders [155555]
Heat Tool (Us And Canada) [129053]	Stamparatus [146276]	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]

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