{Blessings} LPS Preview (& crazy ways 2 use scraps)

Late yesterday. Über early today. (My head is Melz Mushfest 2009.) LOL

Anywho, this is a preview of the newest Little Paper Shop set: {Blessings}. It has the loveliest flourish cross & sentiments. It'll be released this Tuesday (March 17th.); it actually has 2 crosses that can be used for 2-step stamping. It has sweet sayings (this saying is my favourite so far):

Be faithful in the small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

Isn't that such a lovely idea? "Be faithful in small things" I'd like to exercise faithfulness in the little ways more...with my family & friends and in my own practices of faith.

One way in which I plan on being faithful in the small things, blogwise) will be by allowing myself to spend more time at my blog buddies e-homes. I've been missing the connection of commenting & letting people know they're appreciated & cared for SO much...but I had taken on too much (too much with migraines et cetera anyhow.) It had decreased my computer visits 1000fold. I miss connecting with Youse!

okay enough babbling... here are the card deets (well, more blabbing...) ynuk ynuk.

Stitchin the Small things...

This card is another one for my LPS 'stitch it up' challenge (play along here if you like & you can enter to win a set too!) The card base & Nesties frame uses the craft equivalent of "small things" ...all those small bits of paper that could just get left to the wayside...

The background paper on the card is kind of a crazy quilt (made of small scraps [Basic Grey's new snookum DP: Chintz Porcelain Por-1614.] The scraps are stuck on a piece of cardstock & hand-stitched together.)

I wanted the light to show through the card so you could see the lil' pin points, so this has a whole LOTTA of vellum... ;O)

The main card was made with one sheet of vellum cardstock (cut to 11 by 5 1/2 inches which was scored and folded in half.) It stands up nicely but lets light in 'dere.

An extra layer of vellum cardstock behind the quilted piece hides the all the stitches that hold those paper scraps together (from the inside) and yet it no blocky the light.

The Nestabilities scallop ring around the image is made with some scraps too...

Nestabilities Frame (using scraps):

Here's how it was made
(in case you might like to use up your paper bits too) :O)



Step 1) Stamp solid cross in light green on Vellum Cardstock (SU's Certain Celery Craft ink) & heat set it until dry

Step 2) Stamp flourish cross over top (a mix of Silver Encore ink & SU's Mellow Moss craft ink) & emboss that in clear embossing powder

Step 3) Emboss sentiment (Silver Encore ink & clear embossing powder)

Step 4) Cut out with a Nestabilities scallop circle

Step 5) Pierce the image & stitch it to embellish

Step 6) Make the Scallop frame/ring:



To make the Scallop frame/ring:

A) Cut a Nestabilities shape & adhere paper scraps to it (any ol' size & overlap is hunkydory, no problemo)



It'll look something like this from the front



B) Tape the Nestability you used to cut the original shape back on over top of it (it should fit quite nicely back over the cardstock with a lil' bit of coaxing.) :O)

C) Tape a second smaller version die cutter inside of that original Nestie

D) Run the whole thing through your machine to cut the ring/frame (Cuttlebug or other Die Cutter.) You may need more than one pass, maybe check it & see... Mine wanted to go through 3 times.

E) Embellish it however you like:



I stuck mine on top of the vellum {Blessings} image scallop, a second plain scallop made of even more vellum cardstock. :O) Then I pierced a hole in each scalloppy bit & stitched between 'em. It still seemed to need some definition, so I coloured outside the stitches with a green marker.

And guess what?...

...I actually used ribbon (gasp!) ;o)



To make the ribbon swirly & try and make it a little tickity boo (since I find ribbon impossible to get right...) It's twirled & made to obey by adhering with Tombow monomulti.

The little flower was a practice in patience (or lack thereof hehehe.) (It is a wee teeny flower punched (3 for you punch that's 1/2 an inch big, but it gots knots! (5 of 'em sewn into each wee petal & a gem stuck on it for good measure.)

So that's all my babbling for today. Thank you for being you;
you're surely one of my blessings!

Quick Links:

If you have time, come play with me at the Little Paper Shop blog! (& You can enter to win stuff too) :O)
Want inspiration? Check da sneak peeks made by my LPS Peeps (cute thumbnails in sidebar)--->