Charlene Inspired

Today's SCS Featured Stamper Charlene (LilLuvsStampin) has such a deep and diverse gallery to stroll through for inspiration.  I have always enjoyed her work & appreciated her kind comments about my creations. 

The first card I was inspired by was her Peaceful Thoughts sympathy card.  I wanted to try her background technique.  Stampin' Up's Soft Swirls was stamped in Versamark on white cardstock and embossed with Stampin' Up's Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder.  Next I sponged three colors of pink (ColorBox Chalk Rouge, Blush Rose and Pink Pastel) starting with the lightest shade and moving to the darkest.  I used a damp baby wipe to remove the ink from the embossed swirls.  I love the soft, sparkly effect.

Kolette Hall's Circle of Love was stamped in Charcoal and then sponged as well.  I used my finger to "smoosh" (I highly technical stamping term) Crystal Stickles all over the heart.  I left it pretty thick for lots of sparkle, so it takes a few minutes to dry.  I colored black cardstock with my American Crafts glitter marker before punching them out.  Since my finger was already covered in Stickles, I added some to the hearts as well. 

The black cardstock strip is embossed with the cuttlebug swirls embossing folder.  I little trick I've figured out when embossing strips.  If you put the paper perpendicular in the folder, it is only 5 1/4" tall (and I needed 5 1/2" inches to go from side to side on the card).  However, if you cut the strip first and put it in the folder at an angle, you can emboss the entire strip end-to-end.

Charlene's Copper Heartfelt Thank You was the inspiration for my next card.  I needed some masculine thank you cards, and this layout was perfect.  I used a metallic moss paper for the layer under my Inkadinkado Foxtail, and when I tore it the inside was almost black, which worked perfect for the contrast in the layering.  I love little surprises like that.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up's Wonderful Words stamped in Dark Moss.

I also discovered why Charlene only tied the ribbon through the top two layers.  The horizontal slot punch would not go through three layers.  I had to disassemble and punch through two (which was still difficult due to the thickness of the metallic paper).  I added a glue dot under my ribbon tails to keep them positioned on the card.