It's the trepidation that stops you...

Wondering why that title? Sometimes the fear of getting something wrong can be paralysing, preventing you from just diving in with a project, and so it was with this card.

Some time ago, alright, ages ago my crafty friend Anne sent me four pieces of Specialty Paper with this Stampendous image stamped on them just because she'd seen me admiring it. How generous is she? Oh, you don't know the half of it (more tomorrow:) I didn't want to mess them up but didn't know how to approach them. Well time is now of the essence, so this weekend I bit the bullet and went for it.

Inspiration came courtesy of Sue the Iron and Jennifer Dove (thank you ladies, your work is amazing).

Three cards needed to result from this challenge so I had just one to 'play' with.

I inked it up with Distress Inks/Markers which were blended out with water, but there needed to be a definite contrast between the central panel and the outside (without the aid of a decoupage layer). Like the warm light coming from those little windows?

And so the first stamped image became a mask so the central panel could be clear embossed several times. The outer edges got distressed to create a vintage feel.

Having matted and layered the image I messed around with different embellishments but they all seemed to overcrowd the card, so an altered metal foil die cut coloured with alcohol inks became my version of a metal corner piece. And there we have it. Probably seems simple now they're done but they feel 'professional' irl and achieved the end result I wanted, so in my book that's a result (oh, and not one of them went wrong either, which is a minor miracle!)

Challenges being entered with this;

Frilly & Funkie challenge - A Light in Darkness

The Stamp Man challenge - In the Bleak Mid Winter

Hope it gives your 'little grey cells' a bit of a nudge, especially if like me your seasonal cardmaking is not yet complete. Thanks for dropping by. Your visits/comments are appreciated more than you know.

Crafty hugs, Jenny xx