Inspired by a Pin!

This month the design team at Dreamweaver Stencils has been given a fun challenge, we are to base our creations on something we've been inspired by on Pinterest. You can search for virtually anything on Pinterest and it will bring back hundreds (or more!) of ideas and images. One of my favorite flowers is the Bird of Paradise, so I decided to see what was out out there. Oh my! There was everything from garden ideas to shoes, fabric, tattoos, botanical prints, photos, watercolors, quilling, and LOTS more. I found some incredible vintage prints, and this amazing quilt in my search. So while no one image was my inspiration this week, I definitely was inspired to create a card using Dreamweaver's beautiful Long bird o'paradise stencil (LL454) and the Jungle leaves (LJ825) stencil for the background. Here's how it came out:

LL454 Long bird o'paradise
Glossy Green Embossing Paste under Crackle Embossing Paste
LJ825 Jungle leaves
Dry embossed with the Strié technique applied

I love the combination of bold color (orange) and soft (green) background, and the Crackle Embossing Paste was the perfect touch to give it a lot more texture. Here are the steps:

• Tape your stencil to smooth cream cardstock with removable tape
• Use a palette knife and paste spreader to apply a coat of Glossy Green Embossing Paste
• Remove and clean the stencil, let the paste dry completely (about 50 minutes)
• Tape the stencil back over the dry paste and apply a coat of Crackle Embossing Paste
• Remove and clean the stencil, let the paste dry completely
• In the meantime, dry emboss the Jungle leaves stencil on white cardstock with a die cut machine and rubber embossing mat
• Remove the stencil, place the leaves raised side up on a piece of copy paper and use a 1/2" or 3/4" in brush to sweep color in from the edge towards the center all along one side, turn the image and do the next side, repeat until all four sides have been colored. I used Distress Inks Peeled Paint and Forest Moss.
• Mount the leaves on orange cardstock
• Add two small strips of orange near the bottom
• To color the flower, place your clean stencil back over the dry crackle paste and use 1/4" stencil brushes to add color. Use a Picasso (LL332) stencil to help shield areas from other colors.
• On the flowers I used Distress Inks Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick, Faded Jeans and Dusty Concord. Yes, I really did! One the leaves I used Peeled Paint and Forest Moss.
• Use the larger green brush from the background leaves to add color around the edge of the flowers
• Mount the flower on a blue or purple mat to pick up the little part of the flower with blue on it
• Use foam tape to add the flower to the front of the card

For more Pinterest inspired creations, hop on over to the rest of the team blogs. Don't forget, you are always welcome to join our challenge. Just link your creation on the DREAM it UP! blog, or send Lynell a photo and description and she will post it for you. Of course, the possibility of winning a new stencil is always good motivation, so get creating!

Dream It Up!

Jennifer Dove 
Laura Drahozal
Lyn Bernatovich
Pam Hornschu
Heidi Erickson
Louise Healy (you're here!)
Jessica Griffin
Cyndi Bundy

Happy Creating,

Louise