Hey Honey!

Hello there - just checking in today to share a design project for the August challenge showcasing "Paper Piecing" over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog that was inspired by the sketch challenge @ Fab Friday. I will be entering it in the "Anything Goes" Wednesday challenge @ Simon Says Stamp and the Less is More "Piercing" challenge. This will also be the second card that the group from my library will be making at our September card making class.

So, the first thing I knew I wanted to do with this A2 size card was emboss the honeycomb pattern onto white cardstock, but I also knew that I didn't want it to cover the entire panel...so I got out my circle diffuser...mine came in a Tim Holtz set from Sizzix. If you are new to using an embossing diffuser, here is a quick video guide from Jennifer McGuire that should give you a nice intro to them. They are easy to do -basically just take the place of one of your cutting plates in your embossing sandwich and even work in the Texture Boutique, as you can see here! I then brushed the Raw Sienna ink gently over the raised design on the panel to add some additional accent color. (used the direct to paper method here)

For the paper piecing of the bee hive and stand, I stamped the image from the Fun Stamper's Journey stamp set in black ink two times -once each on two different kinds of patterned paper -a yellow dot pattern for the top hive part and a wood grain pattern for the bottom stand part. Then I fussy cut them out very close to the line. Once that was complete, I went over the edges with a black permanent marker to cover any white edges that were sticking out and taped the two pieces together on the back to complete the image.

Following the sketch, I punched a white circle, stamped the "Hey Honey" sentiment in the middle and sponged Raw Sienna ink around the edges. The black glitter paper was trimmed into a narrow strip for the accent under the sentiment circle.

My plan was to adhere the paper pieced  hive image to the blank white space on the partially embossed and inked panel. Rather than add the large circle element from the sketch as another layer, I used a paper piercing needle and a circle template to pierce the circle pattern around the hive instead. I also tied the mustard ribbon around the left side of the panel before attaching it to the front of a mustard yellow card base.

The last step to completing the card front was to adhere 3 gold sequins around the hive and on the sentiment circle in a triangle pattern to pull the eye through the card front. If you look closely, you'll notice that I put the "rule of thirds" to good use in several ways when designing this card. That's something that I don't even think about anymore -I have been doing this for so long now that it just comes to me naturally and it always helps to balance my designs  and make them pleasing to the eye of the beholder.

Since I will be giving this card to my hubby, I chose the Marvin Gaye quote for the inside and accented it with a single bee stamp.

Until next time~