Blogger Challenge: Week 32

This week's challenge was another layout challenge. This week's layout is from the cover of the new Sale-a-bration catalog. How appropriate, since today's the official start of SAB. There are five great stamp sets to choose from this year, plus a fun set of rub-ons.

The card on the catalog featured some images set off from the front panel using dimensionals and also extending over the side of the front panel. I didn't want to spend a lot of time cutting out images to place on the panel, so I compromised a little. I stamped the open petal images from Pick a Petal in Groovy Guava and Purely Pomegranate directly on shimmery white cardstock, then watercolored them with reinkers and a watercolor brush. The layered flower center is punched out from cardstock scraps. It is both raised and extended over the side of the panel--much less work than cutting out anything.

I used clear embossing powder to emboss one of the circular flower center images on the pomegranate circle. Since I only have Purely Pomegranate classic ink, I first inked my stamp in Versamark, then in the colored ink before stamping on the paper. This makes the colored ink sticky enough to hold the embossing powder--a great trick for embossing in colors when you don't have colored embossing powders or craft ink pads.

I've realized that my card stash is sorely lacking in the birthday department, so I made this into a birthday card by adding one of the sentiments from Stem Sayings. I like how the curved images in this set go with the curved scallops at the edge of the flower panel.

Be sure to check out what the other members of the bloggers challenge group have come up with for this layout. They are such a talented group! You can find links to their blogs in the sidebar on the right.

Materials Used:
Pick a Petal and Stem Sayings stamp sets, Purely Pomegranate and Groovy Guava Classic inks, Purely Pomegranate, Groovy Guava, Barely Banana, and Shimmery White cardstock, 1 1/4" circle punch, corner rounder, Crystal Clear embossing powder, dimensionals (Stampin' Up!); 1 1/8" circle punch (EK Success); peach organdy ribbon, self adhesive rhinestone (Michaels)