You Grow What You Sew: Gingersnaps Growth Challenge!

I'm getting really, REALLY excited about starting my gig as a Design Team member at Gingersnap Creations on April 1! (And yes, I do know that's April Fools Day, but don't worry: I'll behave.) So, this little card, for their "Growth" themed challenge, will be my final "civilian" entry for a while!

I just have to start by telling you how much I love this stamp. It's another of Daniel Torrente's creations for Stampotique, it's called "Heart Shirt," and I can't help but grin every time I look at it. I just wanna hug him! I stamped this sweet guy (we'll call him "Albert") onto Bristol paper, then embossed him with clear powder and colored him with Mark-Its. His little heart was filled in with a Sakura Glaze pen, and please take my word that it looks really cool and dimensional in person, since you can't remotely tell from the picture!

The background was made by running the awesome Core'dinations Whitewash "Wash Board" shade paper through the embossing machine with a Cuttlebug leaf folder, then lightly sanding the embossed image so the green core shows through (okay, yes, I know I already waxed rhapsodic about Core'dinations once this week, so I won't go off again, except to say that it's the raddest paper EVER). I added some green Distress Stickles to the leaves for extra bling, cut the edges with decorative scissors and used "Bottle" Adirondack Paint to outline the entire panel.

The "Encourage Your Hopes" stamp is one of my very favorites from Tim Holtz. I embossed the wording with pearlized clear powder and colored around it with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and that same Bottle shade of paint. I cut and sanded a craft stick to make the sign post (wow-- those Tonic scissors really WILL cut through anything!), and attached the sign with foam tape.

Finally, there's the flower, and I'm very excited about it because this is a new Prima release, "Alchemy," that was designed by one of my favorite bloggers, Linda B from Eclectic Visions of an Altered Journey. Isn't it fabulous? Check out her blog-- she makes the coolest stuff. I just added a little Rock Candy Stickles to the petals, layered the three pieces and attached them with a brad. The final touch? A couple of skeleton leaves spritzed with homemade glimmer mist (i.e. Perfect Pearls in water).

So, that's the card, and along with it comes my wish for all of us this fine spring: That we do indeed encourage our hopes, sew seeds of wonderfulness and send our fears packing! Thanks for all your lovely comments-- they always make my day!

Hugs,
Linda