Embossed, chalked and embossed again...

I had lots of things going on today - I did some driving to help a neighbor, had several things to get in the mail, taught another "Getting Started" Design Studio class online and tried to catch up with my email (still working on that!).

I did get a bit of time to do some test cuts of designs that will be appearing soon and I also experimented with an idea I had for a card top.



I embossed a piece of white cardstock using the "stylized flowers" Cuttlebug embossing folder. Then I used some chalk to highlight the flowers in various colors and added some blue in the background. This looked fairly pretty but, I couldn't leave well enough alone....



I stamped the entire piece of cardstock with a Versamark watermark ink pad and added some "sparkle" embossing powder. Then I used my heat gun to set the second type of embossing on this card. It is so magical to watch the embossing powder melt!



I got a little carried away on the heat embossing and actually "over-embossed" and melted a section of the card top. I was not about to toss the whole project in the trash bin (you know how I hate to throw anything away!) so I got a bit creative. A long time ago someone told me that if you make a mistake, don't dwell on it - just "think recovery." So I started thinking...



I cut through the paper to eliminate the burnt section making the cut on a diagonal for some interest. I adhered the two remaining sections of the embossed cardstock to a blue base that I had cut slightly smaller than my green A2 card. (I didn't have my camera handy so there is not a photo of each step in my "recovery" process).

I added some pink ribbon to cover the "seams" between the embossed sections and the blue base and then stamped a sentiment in dark blue ink.



In the end - I had a card that I will certainly send to someone - and I learned a few things to help me improve on these techniques for the next time. After all - we learn best by trying things - so just go for it!