Wishing You the Most Fabulous Birthday EVER!

Happy Friday!   It is time for Week 4 of the Viva La Verve Weekly Sketch Challenge!  This week we have a sketch by Christyne.   Check out the VLV blog for more details.  

For my card I am using Verve's  Better Together and Sunny Days stamps sets along with Verve's Cut Above Goodness Flower and Banner Bundle die sets.  I finished the card with a few buttons with coordinated hemp cording.  I accented the card with Verve's Pastel and Shine Bright Sequin Mix. 

"Neat" Distressing?   I got this really cool paper pad in the mail full of bold colors and geometric patterns.  I just knew I had to create some distress, but did not want to tear or ink distress the edges on these pretty papers.   I wanted a clean distressed feel, but not too distressed.  I wanted neat and clean edges...no torn or jagged edges, or vintage inky edges for that matter.  I wanted the slight distressing to come through in the loose tension stitched border,  zigzag stitching, and flyaway threading.  

To add even more neat distressing, I stamped the green panel with the background image from Better Together several times overlapping to create some dimension and less than a perfect look.  I also left the extra stray black embossing pieces that I normally brush off prior to heat embossing stay.  I decided it would add a cool and "neat" effect.   If you click on the pic, you can see all the little black pieces...so cool!   I liked that the paper sort of warped on me, too, during the heat embossing part.   I chose not to try and flatten it with something weighty or adhesive, but use it like it was.  So, did I accomplish some neat distressing? 


I am also using these other products on my card.  Glitz Finnley paper pad,  Scor-Tape, TomBow Mono Aqua Liquid glue, and Watermark/Resist Ink Pad & re-inker from Ranger.  

Playing along with Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge:  Anything Goes,  Simon Says Monday Challenge: I Ought to use this more! (heat embossing I rarely gravitate to heat embossing til recently.  I actually went out this week and purchased some fun colors), and  Seize the Birthday:  Anything Goes.

As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Betty