LOVE & HUGS

I have a card for you today that is lots of fun -- 

both to make and to look at!

It would be perfect for various occasions, but is right on the money for Valentine's Day, which is coming up quickly.

I especially love how the embossed background 

mimics the black diecut piece.

Following is a tutorial on how to make a Love & Hugs card of your own.

SUPPLIES:

Sunshine Sayings (page 96 in the big catalog)

Basic Black cardstock

Whisper White cardstock

Crushed Curry cardstock

Watercolor paper

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink

Watercolor Pencils (page 201)

Aqua Painters (page 200)

Paper Snips (page 204)

Big Shot (page 209)

Sunshine Wishes Thinlits (page 216)

Swirly Scribbles Thinlits (page 216)

Seaside Embossing Folder (page 210)

1/2" Circle Punch (page 207)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of black cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

Run a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of Whisper White cardstock through the Big Shot inside the Seaside Embossing Folder.

Also using the Big Shot, die cut a piece of black cardstock with the Swirly Scribbles Thinlits die. Adhere this about 1/2" or so from the left edge of the embossed piece. Trim off the edges that extend beyond the white. Adhere this piece to the card base.

Stamp three of the flowers in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink onto watercolor paper. Using an Aqua Painter and Watercolor Pencils, color the flowers as desired. Fussy cut the flowers, leaving a white border. 

On a scrap of Crushed Curry cardstock, stamp the flower in black. Then, use the 1/2" Circle Punch to cut three flower centers from the stamped flower. Adhere the centers to the flowers.

Arrange the flowers as desired along the black "trellis" and adhere them flat.

From black cardstock, cut the word "love" using the die from the Sunshine Wishes Thinlits. Adhere this to the card front using the liquid glue sparingly..

On a scrap of Whisper White cardstock, stamp "& hugs" in black ink. Fussy cut randomly around the stamping. Adhere it to the card underneath the large word.

OPTIONAL: Inside the card, add a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of Whisper White cardstock to make writing easier. Otherwise, use a white gel pen to write directly onto the black inside.

Swirly

Smiles.