Edging into Spring

Hi Folks, we are having some lovely Spring weather at the moment, and the latest stamps from Chocolate Baroque just fit the weather and what is going on in the garden perfectly.
I have a couple of cards to show you today. My first card uses the lovely gingko leaves from the Elegant Edges stamp set. I stamped the single leaf over the background using Versamark and clear embossing powder, which I heat set. I painted the background with a Ecoline ink, and then ironed the background placing it under some greaseproof paper to remove the embossing powder. This technique leaves a lovely smooth background.

I stamped the gingko border, and partially die cut an oval beside the border, which I coloured with Distress Ink. I coloured the leaves with Distress Markers. I added a sentiment from the Loving Sentiments stamp set. I stamped three butterflies from the Spring Fairy collection onto vellum, using white embossing powder, and coloured the reverse with Copics. Finally, I coloured some seam binding with green Ecoline ink, and crumpled it as I dried it, for a distressed effect.

 My next sample uses a mixture of stamps from the Patchwork Landscape stamp set and the Elegant Edges stamp set.

I have made a step card as my base and created layers of planting in front of the house, representing a cottage garden. I cut two strips of card, one 5" x 9", scoring at 1.5", 3", and 6", then another piece of card which measured 5" x 10.5", which I scored at 5" and 10". I stuck the little half inch tab to the back of the three inch fold created on the other piece of card, and then I had my completed step card base.

I stamped all of the images onto cream paper, using gold embossing powder, and coloured them with Distress Markers. I added them to the various layers of the step card. 

EDIT: I have been asked by a commenter to explain the construction of my card base. I am happy to do so, as my card is a DT sample and therefore inspiration for other to make something similar if they wish. I scored the shorter piece of card at 1.5", 3", and 6", which then gave me two mountain folds of 1.5 inches, and 3 inches. The larger piece of card was scored at 5" and 10", which gave me a mountain fold of 5 inches, with a half inch tab left over. I attached the tab just behind the three inch mountain fold, but could have tucked it under if I had wanted to. (The three inch mountain fold is the one with the hollyhocks on in the photograph). I am including a photograph so that you can see where I have attached the tab.

 Thanks for stopping by, xx