Pleasant Words and a look back!

 

Hello friends!  Today we on the Design Team are taking a look back at the Our Daily Bread designs  March release.  I have created something pretty different for you today!  I used  a technique found on SCS.

It's called Serendipity Squares Technique and I really enjoyed it!  It is a little time consuming, but so worth it!  You begin with a base card stock, and several scraps of designer paper that coordinate with each other.  You tear them in to pieces.  I played around a little bit with the sizes to tear the papers.  In the photo below I had torn them to about 1" but I ended up tearing them again, so about 1/2" is what seemed to work the best for me. 

Once you have your scraps torn, you glue them to your card stock.  I used Tombow Multi glue.  A glue stick would also work here.  You overlap the edges and cover the entire paper.  In addition to the original instructions, I sponged the edges of my papers if any white torn edges showed, using distress inks.  Once covered, you trim your paper to remove any jagged edges  of scraps, and then you begin stamping various images on the paper. I stamped the Bee Balm image, and I also stamped the Honey Comb Mini with VersaMark and embossed in gold.  Next, you cut your paper into whatever shapes you want for your card background. This is the step where the "serendipity" really happens! As you cut them apart and regroup them together, the shapes and patterns of your stamped images and embossing really catch your eye. For this card,  I just used three strips and mounted on white card stock.  I loved the look of this paper background so much I didn't want to cover it up... so, I decided to try some acetate over top of it!

 I stamped a piece of acetate with Versamark, stamped my sentiment from the Be Happy set, and heat embossed with gold.  I did the same with the Hummingbird, and with the Bee Balm image.  I hand cut the bee balm and used the ODBD Custom Hummingbird Die to cut the hummingbird.  I cut a Spellbinders Decorative Labels 28 from white card stock, adhered the sentiment acetate layer to the back of that frame and mounted it on my background with foam strips.  I then adhered the flower and the hummingbird on the front of the frame.  I love how the background looks peeking through the acetate.  It WAS hard to get a photo of it, so it does not really show you how pretty it is, but in real life, I absolutely love how this came out.  I'm so glad I played with that technique because it's definitely one I'll use again, AND it's a great way to use up scraps!

EDITED to add:  I was asked about tips on embossing on acetate.  I did not buy any specially heave acetate to do this, but I did preheat the gun and then I heated from the back side I did not have any trouble with the acetate curling or melting.  The only time I have had that happen was when I tried using packaging acetate from a box.  I had thought since it was so heavy it would be fine but it curled.  This is just regular card type acetate.  I don't have a name on it or I'd share that but I don't.  I hope this helps!

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Hummingbird, Bee Balm, Be Happy, Honeycomb Mini

Dies: ODBD Custom Hummingbird Die, Spellbinders Decorative Labels 28

Paper:  Neenah Solar White CS, Scraps of designer paper for background

Ink: Distress Inks

Accessories: May Arts Silk Ribbon, Pearls, Gold Embossing Powder

I hope you'll give it a try, and if you do, let me know so I can come see it!

Here are the products I used for this project:

 

To see more inspiration, please visit the ODBD Blog, and

be sure to check out my DT sisters creations:

Chris * Grace * Sandee * Stacy * Julie * Dawn * Sabrina * Cathy * Lori * Wanda