There was a midweek challenge on Our Creative Corner this week. You had to create a card using the vintage values technique. This is a really cool technique and was a bit easier than I thought. The entire technique reminds me of cards that Michelle creates. While Michelle uses the brayer to create her effects, this technique uses a sponge. I did have to modify my technique as when I sponged toward the center I wasn’t getting any color, so I started at the center and worked my way towards the outside. I’m wondering if I used the Ink Blending Tool by Ranger if it would have worked better. After doing this I will definitely be using this to create some backgrounds for other cards.
When I first thought about doing this challenge I was thinking of doing another Halloween card. Thinking I was going to do a Halloween card, I chose purple as the color to go with. I used Almost Amethyst, Lovely Lilac, and Elegant Eggplant. I started in the center with the Almost Amethyst and dragged the sponge toward the outside edges. After doing this all the way around the card, I repeated the same procedure with Lovely Lilac but this time I started closer to the outer edge. When that color was applied, I then repeated using Elegant Eggplant and started really close to the outer edge of the cardstock. This technique gives you a gradient of color from light to dark.
Once that was done, I was ready for my main image. I sat staring at the cardstock and realized my original idea of a Halloween theme was not going to work. So I went to my bookshelf of stamps thinking I would use my pansy set. While looking for the stamp set I ran across the Sketch It set and thought I could use the flower from the set instead. I stamped the flower with Almost Amethyst and then thought hmmmm can I stamp this several times to look like a chrysanthemum? So I rotated the card 90 degrees and stamped the flower again. I did this so that I ended up stamping the image a total of 4 times (360 degrees total). I liked the look of this so then I decided to use the thin squiggly line and stamped it with Elegant Eggplant around the flower. I finished up by repeatedly stamping the center dots with Lovely Lilac. I wanted to add some leaves so I cut a mask and used Old Olive and stamped the leaves.
When I went to cut this out I wanted to do the flower in a box with the leaves breaking the plane of the box. I carefully cut the box around the flower and cut around the leaves. I really did not like this look so I then cut out around the entire flower which I liked. After I decided that I would pop the flower image, I wanted to add some embellishments to highlight the card. I started with the skinny purple ribbon but it was lost on the card. I went to my huge ribbon stash and grabbed this polka dot organdy that I had gotten from and online share from Jody. Once I put it on (I have been on an angled theme lately with my ribbon) it still lacked something so I tied a bow with the skinny purple and layed it on top. I liked the look so I attached it. I was happy and ready to take my picture.
I set up my camera and the other cards I had made to take my pictures. When I came to this one it still said I need more! I pulled out my dew drops and had chosen a pearl colored one to use but then remembered I had gotten some half pearls from Micheal’s. I quickly pulled them out and attached them instead of the dew drops. Now I knew the card was finished.
Do you see a recurring theme with this card? I started with one idea and it continued to evolve. I have to admit the finished card is nothing like I started out to do. To me this card is very elegant. While typing this up I was thinking that this would be so cute done up in yellows to be a sunflower. I think I will have to do one of those for a fall card. I will be sure and post it so you can see how cute it will be.
I bet you are wondering what the card looks like. Well here it is!
Lovely card. I like the look you achieved starting inside and working out. Thanks for playing along! 🙂