Using Dies as Stencils for Stitching Templates: Altenew's Layered Floral Cover and Cross Stitch Canvas Dies

Happy Monday!  Is everyone settling into summer?   It is HOT here... I am perfectly content to stay home and get some crafting done until this heat wave passes.  100 degree temps?  NO thank you!

I've been meaning to share this cross stitch card I sent off to a crafty friend for a while.  I wanted to create a card using a cover die as a stencil, and chose Altenew's Layered Floral Cover Die A and their awesome Cross Stitch Canvas die.

After die cutting both panels, I used the layered floral die as a stencil to create the cross stitch pattern.  I colored in the sections using Copic markers.  

I then chose my thread colors and went to stitching!  

I'm not gonna lie... this stitching project is not for the faint of heart.  This took a while.  But it was well worth it.  I finished it with one of my favorite sentiments from Hero Arts and some Pretty Pink Posh sparkling clear sequins.  

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and card!  Have a great start to your week!  

I Can Make Cards Without Flowers on Them #1: Watercolor Feathers

To look at my Instagram page right now is to be bombarded with flowers.  I personally love it, but I realize that not everyone might appreciate my obsession fascination with florals.  So I have decided to challenge myself to start a series called “I Can Make Cards Without Flowers on Them.”  And here we are with card #1!  Watercolor feathers made with Altenew’s beautiful Golden Feather stamp set.  

This card took some tinkering before I found a method that achieved the look I was going for… slightly soft, but with texture and defined borders.  I pulled out my Spectrum Aqua watercolor markers and colored on the stamp, making sure to mix the colors and place them in different spots across the stamp (excuse the stained stamp… this one got a workout on this card):

Then I started playing.  To achieve a soft look, I tried wetting the paper with a brush (resulting in  images sometimes too soft, sometimes not soft enough) and misting the stamp (way too soft).  Then I tried misting the paper and blotting up a little of the water with a paper towel.  Bingo!  Just soft enough.  

After stamping the panel and letting it air dry, I embossed the images with Ranger Gold Tinsel embossing powder and added some gold splatters.  I then die cut the whole panel with My Favorite Things wonky rectangle die and stitched it up in gold thread.  I stamped and embossed an extra center image and popped it up.  Some Pretty Pink Posh gold sequins and it was finished!  

Here is a sample of some of my practice feathers.  This technique will likely vary a little depending on the markers and paper you use (I used Arches cold press 140 lb. watercolor paper).  It is fun playing around, and I’m looking forward to using this with different mediums. 

Have a great day… I am off to make something with a flower.  😂