SQUIRRELS ON FIRE (Not Really)

Last week on our Connect to Create YouTube Channel, my friend and Connect to Create Collaborator, Kathi, showed us the Faux Wood Burning Technique.

This was a brand-new technique to me, so I was anxious to try it.  This was my first attempt.  I obviously need more practice with the technique, but in general I liked how my card turned out, so I decided to share it with you today.

If you missed last week's Connect to Create Video, you can watch the replay here.  Kathi's cards are awesome, so I hope you will check them out and see what the Faux Wood Burning technique is really supposed to look like.  LOL

After I burned my little squirrel, into my "wood".  I decided to try to also "burn" the edges of my Designer Tag.  I'm not sure how much the edges really look like they were burned, but I do think it added some interest to the tag.

The designer series paper on the background of this card is from Fancy Flora Designer Series Paper (DSP).  This is very interesting paper!  It has many beautiful and bright color combinations (not necessarily this particular one) and appears to be painted with thick oil paints.  I liked the brown tones of this pattern for a card that was all about wood burning.

At first, I was going to use Soft Suede or Crumb Cake for my card base, but then decided that there was way too much brown, and it needed some life.  So, I pulled the So Saffron color from the DSP.  Don't forget to use your designer series paper for color inspiration!

The ribbon is a soft neutral color I found in my stash.

To decorate the inside of the card, I simply used another strip of the same designer series paper.  The inside sentiment is from Inspired Thoughts -- one of my favorite versatile sentiment sets.

If you would like a free tutorial with all the cutting dimensions and step-by-step instructions, please download a copy by using this link.  And don't forget to watch the Connect to Create video to see how to do the Faux Woodburning Technique.

Below is a list of the products I used for today's card.  To learn more about any product or to make a purchase, just click on the image below and it will take you to my on-line Stampin' Up Store.

Product List

Nuts About Squirrels Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [156475]	Inspired Thoughts Cling Stamp Set [155536]	Stylish Shapes Dies [159183]	Designer Tags Dies [159165]
So Saffron 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [105118]	Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [119686]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper [149612]
Fancy Flora 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [160413]	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [147114]	Neutrals Stampin' Write Markers [147158]	Brushed Metallic Adhesive Backed Dots [156506]
Timber 3 D Embossing Folder [156406]	Water Painters [151298]	Stamparatus [146276]	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]

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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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