Stitched Hi - and exciting news!!!

Good morning! I had planned on posting this card for the current Paper Smooches SPARKS Cool Shades color challenge today anyway - but now I have the added excitement of sharing that I made the new SPARKS Design Team!!! I just found out late yesterday afternoon, and I'm still over-the-moon excited and pinching myself! You can read the announcement HERE if you're interested! Anyway, here is my card I made for the current challenge:

Here is the color combo:

I had been dying to try a technique that I have tried before with other clear stamps, but not yet with my Paper Smooches, and I needed a nice symmetric image for it. So I pulled out "Needle Little Love" and gave it a try. I selected the heart, then attached it backwards to my clear stamp block - so the back was facing out. I inked up and stamped it four times with MFT kraft ink, then cleaned it well, removed it, and stamped the correct side over the heart with two different colors of MFT ink. The end result is that it makes a perfect shadow effect for the stitched heart.

After that, I stamped my sentiment, stamped the stitching around the edges from the same set, then added a bit of bling to the hearts. I debossed that panel with my PTI Linen Impression Plate, inked the edges with distress ink, then distressed the edges with my Tim Holtz distress tool. Tied some jute twine around and added a MFT button.

Finished off with some pattern paper from Basic Grey's Mint Julep 6x6 paper pad, also with the edges distressed, and mounted everything on a card base made with Avery Elle Kraft Cardstock.

Thanks for stopping by today! I will see you again soon!!!