BEAUTIFUL BLIZZARD

When I first laid eyes on the stamp set, Beautiful Blizzard, (page 39 in the Holiday Catalog), I felt that I just had to have it. So I ordered it. I think it was the snowflake image's fault. Yup. That's what it was.

Because when it was delivered to me, I really wondered. WHY did I order this set?

Well, I did. So I needed to use it. Somehow.

I was determined to design a card for my November Stamp-In Workshop attendees to make. So I came up with the card pictured below.

From the Clearance Rack while ago, I'd ordered this beautiful Night of Navy Corduroy Ribbon. Being that I used Night of Navy ink on my card, I thought it would be the perfect touch for the card.

After completing the card though, I was struck by the thought that the trim was too heavy and too dark for the card.

While preparing the projects for the workshop, I came up with another -- I thought more desirable -- option for the girls to choose from. Of course, I made the corduroy ribbon available, as well as thin strips of Night of Navy cardstock that I had run through the Seaside Embossing Folder (page 223 in the Annual Catalog) to mimic the blustery wind of the snowstorm.

Later I made another card using the embossed cardstock strip instead just to see for myself how different (and much better?) it looked. Unfortunately, I didn't use the Night of Navy ink as intensely as I did in my sample card, so it was not really a good comparison. 

Another thing I'd done differently with my second card was to add some Dazzling Diamonds Glitter to the Silver Embossing Powder before I embossed the snowflakes. I thought that by doing that, it would make the snowflakes glisten a bit more and show up more prominently. Wrong-o.

Anyway, if you'd like to give a card similar to this a try, following is a tutorial on how to do so.

SUPPLIES:

Whisper White cardstock

Night of Navy cardstock (optional)

Silver Glimmer Paper

Night of Navy ink

VersaMark ink

Beautiful Blizzard (page 39 of the Holiday Catalog)

Embossing Buddy

Silver Embossing Powder

Heat Tool

Night of Navy Corduroy Ribbon or strip of embossed Night of Navy cardstock

Basic Rhinestones

Stampin' Dimensionals

Seaside Embossing Folder (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

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

Next, take a 2" x 5 1/2" piece of Whisper White cardstock. Using the large blizzard-y blobs, stamp them in Night of Navy across the paper. Use the smaller blob if you'd like; otherwise, you can stamp the large blob twice, turning it each time, then filling in the remaining spaces with the edges of the blobs.

Once the stamping is done, rub the Embossing Buddy well over the piece. In VersaMark ink, add the cluster of snowflakes a few times, rotating the stamp with each new impression.

At the Heat Station, cover the snowflakes in Silver Embossing Powder, tapping the excess back into its container. Use the Heat Tool to emboss the images.

Adhere this piece to a 2 3/4" x 5 1/2" piece of Whisper White cardstock so it is centered with even borders on the top and bottom. On the bottom, adhere a strip of Silver Glimmer Paper that measures 3/8" x 5 1/2". At the top, either add a length of the Night of Navy Corduroy Ribbon, taping the excess to the back of the piece OR . . .  BUT, I think the ribbon is too dark and heavy for this card (my feelings once I'd had mine finished), so another option is to add a 3/8" strip of Night of Navy cardstock that had been embossed inside the Seaside Embossing Folder.

Once this panel is completed, adhere it with Stampin' Dimensionals to the card front, leaving about 1/2" of the card base at the top.

Underneath this panel, stamp "Season's Greetings" in Night of Navy ink. Add two Basic Rhinestones to the left of the greeting.

Blizzard-y

Smiles.