Shabby Chic Square Card – Challenge!

I am on a posting roll, let's keep this up! I am definitely enjoying it :)

I am sharing a card with you today for the House of Cards Challenge Blog and the Craft Your Passion Challenges Blog. The challenge this month is to use a bird or a specific color scheme given on the blog. I chose to use a bird to make a shabby chic thank you card. I agonized over what kind of theme to go with but had the most materials for a shabby card. If you'd like to participate in either challenge click the links above :)

If you'd like to know the details for this, read on! This card was pretty involved. I decided on a square shape. This card will be non-machinable so it will have to be given in person or via the post with extra postage (due to shape and thickness). I used 3 sheets from the Mambi Sheets paper stack from Me & My Big Ideas for the base, background and what I am calling the mat (inner square). Once I put the background on I added some burlap and glued it on with white gesso and went over the top with it, too, to make it shabbier. Then I added a smallish paper doily that just peeks out around the edges. I added some glittery brown tulle over the mat, I like how it reminds me of fish netting. For the frame I used another sheet of Mambi paper and the Sizzix fancy labels die. I used two sizes to cut out the outside shape and the inside to make it a frame. I inked the edges of the frame with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. For the bird I just did a free clip art search and printed out that elegant but cute birdie. I attached the frame and bird and started my favorite part – embellishments! I used three different laces (one is hard to see as it's under a flower cluster on the bottom left) and a lot of flowers from my shabby jar of embellishments. I also used a few Prima flat white flowers with tiny I Am Roses flowers in the center. Lastly I added half-back pearls to finish off the card.

I really enjoyed this card and I hope you can find some inspiration from it! And don't forget to check out the House of Cards Challenge Blog for a new challenge each month, October will be here soon! Create on, my friends,

Katie