Happy Birthday - ATC Glimmer Challenge 1

This card is my contribution to our blog's 1st Glimmer Challenge, designed by my mom. I was quite nervous about working with six! colors and it did prove to be a challenge. I'm only mildly pleased with the end result but cannot wait to see the other entries!

The size of this card fits perfectly in a standard business/letter envelope so no worries about having to create a custom envelope (my mom is actually working on a post that enables you to create any sized custom envelope!).

If you're a big fan of Papertrey Ink, you can tell that the majority of my supplies come from there. Here are the colors I chose to match the Glimmer Challenge colors: Dark Chocolate, Spring Moss & Simply Chartreuse, Hibiscus Burst, Sweet Blush, Lemon Tart. The blue doesn't really match any PTI colors and so I incorporated that color using a Brilliance Dewdrop ink (Tsukineko). I did have a sheet of random cardstock I was going to use but it didn't seem to go with my color scheme too well. After completing the card, I realized that I should have used the blue behind the flowers instead of the brown, but I wasn't about to dissect and reassemble. :)

I was finally able to try the ribbon ruffling technique that I've so often admired. I'm not sure how well I managed it but am quite confident I will improve with practice. I used the reverse side of the Spring Moss satin ribbon since I didn't want the shine.

Speaking of ribbon techniques, those flower centers are the genius of a Scrapbooker's Paradise teacher named Selena. I don't know if she learned the technique elsewhere or if she invented it herself. Using my Crop-o-dile II Big Bite, I placed large eyelets in the centers of the layered flowers. I then poked some Lemon Tart Swiss Dot ribbon through the holes. It made a wonderfully 3-dimensional effect without the use of dimensional adhesive.

The flowers themselves are constructed using PTI's Beautiful Blooms II #1 dies.  I inked the Hibiscus Burst petals with Versamagic Dewdrop ink in Cloud White and the Sweet Blush petals with Hibiscus Burst ink. I snipped between the petals a bit and curled them out just a touch. I used Lemon Yellow Liquid Pearls in the center of the smaller flower (and the end of the sentiment). The leaves are Simply Chartreuse felt. The color was similar enough, I felt, to justify putting on the card for this challenge.

The brown square behind the flowers was cut using Spellbinders Squares and then embossed and stenciled with the Versamagic Cloud White. Again, I think the blue would have looked a little better but only because most of the square is being covered by the flowers.

The patterned paper is PTI's Polka Dot Parade and while the colors don't match exactly, it was too close to pass up. I've found a new appreciation, though, for Berry Sorbet and can't wait to try a project with it.

The sentiment is from Delightful Dahlia and is stamped in Brilliance Dewdrop in Pearlescent Sky Blue. I used dimensional adhesive to pop it up from the card and the Lemon Yellow Liquid Pearls to accent.

I hope you've learned something fun and new from our Challenge and I look forward to seeing your entries!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted}

• Cardstock: Dark Chocolate, Spring Moss, Hibiscus Burst, Sweet Blush, Lemon Tart, Stamper's Select
• Patterned Paper: Polka Dot Parade
• Stamps: Delightful Dahlia
• Ink: Hibiscus Burst, Versamagic Cloud White, Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue
• Ribbon: Spring Moss Satin, Lemon Tart Swiss Dot
• Dies: Beautiful Blooms II #1, Spellbinders Square (lg)
• Other tools: Lemon Yellow Liquid Pearls, Crop-o-dile II Big Bite and lg eyelets