Fusion #1

It seems that challenges have really been jump starting my creativity lately.  Today's card is for the Fusion Card Challenge. You can either use the sketch, the photo, or both. I chose to use the photo. That red and blue pillow in the inspiration photo below was really calling my name. Here's the inspiration:

And here's my card:

I began by cutting and scoring a standard-sized card with a top fold. I don't know why, but I seem to gravitate towards top-fold cards.  I embossed the card base with a Papertrey Ink embossing plate. (See below for a close-up look.) After cutting the blue pattern paper (from the Studio Calico Blue Note kit) down to size, I stamped the image using Versamark ink and heat set Zing embossing powder in Rouge. Using the red embossing powder on the blue pattern paper is something I never would have done if it wasn't for the challenge. Next, I rounded the corners on the stamped piece, matted it on a piece of cardstock cut slightly larger, adhered it to the card base using foam dimensionals and tied a double bow using a trick I found on Melissa Phillip's Make It Monday video at about 12:50.

Using the other throw pillows as inspiration, I added brown accents in the form of pearl gems, a wood veneer heart colored with a Spetrum Noir marker, and the stamped image. The sentiment is part of a two-line image. I masked the phrase I didn't want. 

Thanks to the double bow and the wood veneer, this card required a padded envelope to mail to my niece for her birthday today. I am making some progress on my goal to FOCUS on mailing cards on time. At least this one got in the mail on her actual birthday. Baby steps!  

Supplies

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink

Pattern Paper: Studio Calico Blue Note Card Kit

Stamps: Hero Arts (Classic Fabric Design); Mama Elephant for Studio Calico Blue Note kit (sentiment)

Ink: Versamark, Ranger Archival Ink (Coffee)

Misc.: Zing embossing powder (Rouge); Studio Calico wood veneer; Hug Snug washable seam binding (chalk white); Recollections gems