Papertrey Ink March Blog Hop

This month’s Papertrey Ink Blog Hop theme is creative ways to use embroidery floss. I thought on this one for a long time, trying to come up with something to do. I considered and almost used French knots, since I don’t know how to do that and would like to try to figure it out, but in the end, went in a different route.

I know that spring is on the way and most people are putting away their skates, but as a hockey fan, this time of year is one of my favorites. I’m looking forward to the NHL playoffs and hoping my hometown team (the Washington Capitals) has a long run that ends with the Stanley Cup. Even if they don’t, I know I’ll enjoy watching a team lift the Cup at the end of the playoffs. From watching lots of college hockey, there’s usually a player or two in the finals that I’m interested in following even if my team’s no longer in the mix. So, with that in mind, I went with a skate themed card using the Caps old-school red, white, and blue color scheme.

I die cut a pair of skates from the On Ice set from Soft Stone cardstock, then stamped the skate image on the die cut pieces in black ink, omitting the tied bow part of the image. I used Copic markers in shades of cool grays to color in the skates (another try at this week’s Make it Monday video technique!), then filled in the skate blades with a silver gel pen for some metallic shine.

To incorporate the embroidery floss, I used a handheld punch to make holes in the skates, then threaded red floss through the holes to make bold, bright laces. I left enough floss at the end of each skate so I could tie the ends together.

The skates are set on a red circle. One skate is attached directly to the panel and the other is attached with foam tape, angled for interest. I set the circle on a kraft card base with a trio of Bitty Box Basics patterned paper pieces along the bottom. The knotted ends of the floss are attached to the card with a glue dot. I stamped the “super star” sentiment from All-Star Team Additions in Enchanted Evening ink on a double-ended banner die cut and attached the strip to the cardfront, dressing it up with a pair of layered buttons tied together with Enchanted Evening baker’s twine.

Materials Used:
On Ice and All-Star Team Additions stamp sets, Enchanted Evening ink, Pure Poppy, Soft Stone, Kraft, and White cardstock, Bitty Box Basics patterned paper, On Ice and double-ended banner dies, Pure Poppy and Enchanted Evening buttons, Enchanted Evening baker’s twine (Papertrey Ink); circle die (Spellbinders); silver gel pen (Pentel); red embroidery floss; foam tape