TCC139 Let the Earth Rejoice

Hi Friends!

Welcome to The Card Concept #139 {Summer Harvest} Challenge! I love the farmhouse feel of this inspiration photo and especially the little bee image in the vase that holds the sunflowers.  I mentioned in a few previous posts that I am allergic to bee stings but love bee images, especially vintage ones!

I decided to pull out the retired A Quiet Life and Background Builders stamp sets (both Stampin Up!) and paired them with the retired Scripture Medley 4 stamp set from Verve Stamps. 

Originally, I had planned for a Clean and Layered card but as in my normal fashion, I kept adding layers and distressing, so it ended up being a Shabby and Vintage Mixed Media card!

I am working my way through the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenges and used the SC54 Sketch for the layout and am also participating with the Tuesday Throwdown #465 “Anything Goes” Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to visit The Card Concept or the other challenge sites yet, I encourage you to do so- gorgeous inspiration from all! 

To create this card:

Stamp the bee image with Versafine™ Onyx Black ink onto a prepared piece of white cardstock, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool. 

Once the embossing has cooled, watercolor the image using water-based markers, fussy cut around the square and use a black marker to fill in the white edges.

Die cut a piece of white and black cardstock using the stitched hillside dies (the stitching ended up on the waste pieces that went into my stash).  Repeatedly stamp the background script image over the white die cut, stamp a chicken wire background with distress oxide ink(very little of this shows so I was a bit unhappy with the result).

To try to correct this problem, I used a honeycomb stencil with Wild Honey distress oxide, still did not like it so I added Fossilized Amber oxide ink with a stencil brush over the edges.  I still did not like the result, so I used the same honeycomb stencil with Faber-Castell® Pearl Texture-Luxe™ Paste.  Once this dried, I used Wild Honey Distress Stain to add color to the stencil paste and a bit of black texture with a stamp- whew, what a work around!

Close up of the "mess" :-)

For the tag (I had the black pierced die cut tag in my stash), layer a piece of torn Crushed Curry designer paper, tear the bottom edge of the tag to match.  On a scrap piece of white cardstock, repeat the steps above (except for the texture paste).  Layer onto the tag and add scrap pieces of torn washi tape for more texture.  

Add the bee image with chipboard (or dimensional foam), mount onto the tag and add the two strips of adhesive pearls.

Mount the textured paste layer onto the die cut black layer (trimming as needed). 

De-static a piece of striped designer paper with an embossing powder tool, stamp the sentiment from the Scripture Medley 4 (Verve Stamps) with Versafine™ Onyx Black ink, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.

Mount onto the lower portion of the 4 ¼” x 5 ½” black card base, add the textured layer to the top half of the card base.  Add a few strips of washi tape and mount the bee tag with chipboard.

Add a few pearls to the corner near the sentiment and use a clear glitter pen to add shimmer to the bee’s wings.

Finish off the card using an extra fine white paint pen to add highlights to the flower centers.

This card looks a bit better in real life, it was hard to photograph the stripes without feeling dizzy, lol!  Plus, the colors are a bit brighter- my lighting is not the best.

Stamp Sets:  A Quite Life, Background Builders, Chicken Wire Background, Timeless Textures  (retired Stampin’ Up!), Scripture Medley 4 (Verve Stamps)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Tim Holtz® Distress Oxide- Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey Oxide and Distress Stain; Stampin’ Write Markers- Crushed Curry, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Lucky Limeade, Coastal Cabana, Smoky Slate, Faber-Castell® Texture Luxe™ Pearl, Spectrum Noir™ Clear Glitter Pen, Sharpie® Extra Fine White Paint Pen

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, retired Crushed Curry Designer Paper (all Stampin’ Up!), Midnight Chic Pack (DCWV)- black and white striped layer

Tools/Accessories: Gemini, Jr™,  My Favorite Things Dies- Pierced Tags STAX, Stitched Hillside, Embossing Buddy®, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, AquaPainter™, Stencil Brush, Honeycomb Stencil, Palette Knife, Pearls, Graphic 45 Washi Tape

Thanks again for taking the time to visit!  I hope I have inspired you to create your own card based on our {Summer Harvest } photo and link up to our gallery at The Card Concept- we would love to see what inspired you! The challenge is open until September 21^st  at noon EDT.