Go “Green”!

The emphasis these days is to go “green” and we can certainly apply this principle to our card making, too! These colorful flowers were made using the Sizzix Big Shot, Bigz Die Daisies #2, and an advertisement from the newspaper! “What about the ribbon slide?” you ask. Why it just happens to be a tab from a pop can! This card was prepared for the Splitcoast Challenge 225 with the Pretty Pals twist…use green and go “green”. Don’t be afraid to take chances in your cardmaking and scrapbooking, whether its using a button from an old shirt, a single earring which has lost its mate, scrap lace and ribbon…or even a pop tab! Here’s my recipe for “Going Green”:

• Select a colorful ad from a newspaper or magazine. Tip: Select your ad first, as it will dictate the colors of cardstock you will use! Use the Big Shot and Daisies #2 Die to cut your flowers. Tip: Several layers will make your flowers lush and full. Use a Rhinestone Brad to add that extra sparkle to the center of your flower.
• Mount the flower on Whisper White cardstock to which you have applied the Ticket Corner Punch.
• Using Taken with Teal card stock, make four panels. Ink the “Leaves” image from the Botanical Blooms stamp set with Whisper White and randomly stamp the teal panels. Tip: Make sure to stamp some images off the edge to add depth and realism. Use the Ticket Corner Punch to add interest to the upper and lower right hand corners. Adhere this to the Tangerine Tango card base.
• Adhere the large flower and its Whisper White base to your card.
• Lace 1/4th inch Whisper White grosgrain ribbon through a pop tab. Position below the large flower. (The sample card also features a slightly wider orange ribbon that was a scrap that I happened to have. However, Stampin’ Up! offers a wide selection of ribbon in colors to coordinate with your “ad” paper.)
• As a final touch, a smaller flower was affixed at the edge of the pop tab.

Why not try the “green” challenge yourself? The Big Shot just lends itself to this challenge with its ability to cut through not only paper, but even chipboard and pop cans! With the wide variety of dies available, it is so versatile. Over the next few weeks, I will continue to showcase the remarkable things you can create with this tool.
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Order Your Stampin’ Up! Supplies Now!
Stamp Set: Botanical Blooms (Sale-a-bration 113812)
Inks: Taken with Teal (103257), Whisper White (101731)
Card Stock: Taken with Teal (101584), Tangerine Tango (111349), Whisper White (100730)
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Bigz Die Flowers, Daisies #2 (114520), Ticket Corner Punch (107214)
Embellishments: Rhinestone Brads Square Ice (109113), Whisper White 1/4th inch Grosgrain Ribbon (109025)