This is the first card I made with the fun floral elements set Stitched Exotics. I love how the dashed lines look like the paper is actually stitched or pierced! That would take FOREVER to do–instead you just stamp it. Funny, I wouldn't have even looked twice at this set, except that my friend Kelly ordered it and then demanded I make some samples to help her know what to do with it. Now I really like it!
This layout looks a little intimidating but it's actually the happy accidental result of turning the Riding Hood Red mat part wonky. I had originally cut it to be 1/4 inch smaller than the card itself so there would be a rim of Baja Breeze–BO-RING–and after I got the flowers stamped, punched out and mounted over the tone-on-tone swirls, it was too symmetrical even for ME. And that's sayin' somethin'.
So I adhered it wonky, cut off the parts that hung off the edges, and stamped a little stitching on the exposed corners. A little Crystal Effects–a soupcon of clear microbeads–some swelling music–MAGIC!
I love the texture the beads provide.