Challenges again!

I LOVE challenges, and there are two great ones to get my creative juices flowing this week.

Thanks for stopping by!

Over at Arty Girlz, the theme is buttons, while at Created by Hand, the theme is frames.

I'm challenging myself to create one joint project for every two challenges I join, so this is my offering for this week. I've been playing...a LOT...with dry and paste embossing for one of my design team projects due tomorrow, so this card sprang out of the ingredients for that project.

Background paper is Rusty Pickle...my favourite music paper! The sentiment stamp and the faint flourishes overstamped on the patterned paper are from the new calligraphy flourish set Suzanne recently completed, over at Quiet Fire Design.

That frame is one from the new pad of K & Co cardstock frames...what a great idea! The frame is pop-dotted onto the card for added dimension. The image was shared with me by another generous blogger, but I can't remember who it was, sorry. (If you're reading this post, THANKS!)

I used Dreamweaver Embossing Paste and an old, loved, favourite Dreamweaver brass stencil. I mixed Folk Art red acrylic paint with glossy white embossing paste, spread it over part of the stencil, then sprinkled Barbara Trombley's Art Institute Glitter (True Red Opaque Ultrafine) over the paste-embossed hearts, then glues on the buttons and the hearts with Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®.

Finally, I outlined layers with Krylon 18Kt gold metallic ink, and added three buttons at the bottom of the card.

The more I look at this card, the more I'm thinking I might have made it too "busy." Would love to read your opinions. :)