1st Annual 2 Sketches 4 You Ultimate Card Showdown

Have you heard about the Ultimate Card Showdown going on at 2 Sketches 4 You right now? The winner will get over $500 in prizes! Well of course I had to try, so here's my entry:


It seems that when I want a really "artistic" card, I always turn to my Papertrey stamps, and this card was no different. I stamped the branch image from Beyond Basic Borders in Spring Moss, and then added shadows and highlights with Prismacolor colored pencils. I also added some Sakura Stardust glitter pen spread with a waterbrush on the highlight areas, and also on the little blue flower punches.

If you click on this close shot to enlarge, you can see some of the sparkle:


I just LOVE using the Stardust/waterbrush technique for a really pretty, subtle glimmer!

I used 2 patterns (the second print is under the lace) and 2 solids from Basic Grey's Lily Kate collection, and Rustic White cardstock from Papertrey. I added some ruffled lace from my stash with a zigzag stitch, and did a straight stitch around the whole card. And of course I did a lot of distressing around most of the edges of the papers. Here's hoping I make the Top 30!! TFL and I hope you all like it!

Other materials used: Simple Little Things (sentiment), Spring Rain cardstock - Papertrey Ink; tag - Quickutz; Classic Rectangle Nestabilities - Spellbinders; scallop border punch - Stampin' Up!; flower hand punch - Fiskars; half pearls - MimiLolo Etsy store; crochet thread - DMC.