Life Isn't About Finding Yourself and WINNER!!

Happy Sunday!! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!! It's been cold and snowy here...perfect weather to stay inside and craft ;) I have a winner to announce from my Valentine Giveaway, but first, I want to share with you another new technique I've discovered.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of my resolutions this year is to expand my crafty knowledge and learn new techniques. I found this awesome technique HERE. After I started, I discovered I was completely out of clear embossing powder, but I did have UTEE, which is clear, but very thick. I decided to try it anyway and it worked :)

I am really bad about taking pictures as I go along because I never know what direction I'm going with projects. I started with a piece of cardstock from the Tim Holtz Lost and Found paper stack.

I embossed it with the Cuttlebug Bit of Paisley embossing folder. Then I took a brayer and inked it with TH Distress Embossing Ink and ran it over the embossed portion. Next, I covered the ink with Ranger UTEE and embossed it. I repeated the inking and embossing so that it had a nice texture. Once the embossing was completely dry, the next step is to take black craft paint and a sponge, and cover the entire card. The sponge works the paint into all the cracks. Then you take a cloth or baby wipe and remove the paint from the embossed portion. Finally, you put the paper between two sheets of paper towels and iron it to remove some of the embossing powder. This is the result:

Isn't that gorgeous??!! The colors of the paper pop through, really highlighting the texture.

I didn't want to add too many embellishments so that the background would really show.

The star is a Spellbinders Stars die, cut with paper from the same TH Lost and Found stack, and wrapped with hemp fiber from Michaels. The rosette was cut with a Tim Holtz Rosette Die and the same paper stach. The paper for the sentiment is heavyweight white cardstock from Canvas Corp, inked with TH Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade, Aged Mahogany and Brushed Pewter Distress Stain. The edges were inked with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The sentiment is from the Tim Holtz Mini Classics stamp set, inked with Walnut Distress Ink. The crinkle ribbon is from my sweet friend Karen of Little Scrap Pieces. The star is another Spellbinders Stars die, the edges inked with Walnut Distress Ink, with a gem from Recollections.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge - Seeing Stars
2. Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes
3. Mark's Finest Papers Simple Salutations - Anything Goes

Valentine's Day Giveaway WINNER!!

Thank you all so much for following me and entering my giveaway!! I wish I had something to give all of you. But...my 2 year blogaversary is coming up in less than 40 days and I'll have a huge giveaway to share with you!! For this giveaway, Random.org chose as the winner....................

And #22 is...................

Congratulations, Pam!! I'll email you or you can email your address to me at indymermaid(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll get the stamps and paper in the mail to you!!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!! Enjoy the rest of your weekend :)

PRODUCTS USED: