Dreamweaver Flower Challenge Month

Wow!  Wasn't last week's Dreamweaver and Stampendous Blog Hop a blast?!  I know that I had fun.  It caused me to stretch artistically.  While I am sure that I will create that assembled look again, and soon, this week is very CAS. I will be teaching this card in a class on Sunday at Capture A Memory in Flint, Michigan.  The Spring Stencil is actually retired, and only available as your free stencil when you take the class.  If you like this look, however, the Spring Stencil LM 293 is the same but just a little smaller than this one.  I also used the Cherry Blossom Shape Stencil LL3024.  I both debossed and embossed the Mercart Blue Coated Aluminum.  It really sounds a lot harder than it is.  I started both on the Cuttlebug.  Here is how to do it:

1)  Cut the blue coated aluminum so that you have two pieces that are each a little larger than the corresponding stencil.

2)  Run the Spring Stencil through your manual die cutting machine using the recommended sandwich.  Make sure for this one that the stencil is face up with the metal blue side up on top of it and the soft embossing pad on top of that.  After you run it through, leave the metal on the stencil.

3) Now run the cherry blossom stencil through the machine with the same sandwich.  For this one, place the stencil face down with the metal blue side down on top of it.  Then comes the soft embossing mat and the top mat.  You don't need to leave this one on top of the stencil.

4)  Get out your Mercart Teflon Tool.  You should see the word spring debossed into the stencil.  Just run the pointy tip of the teflon tool around the inside of the edges to make them crisp.  Then, with the metal still attached to the stencil, sand it.  This will remove the blue from around the outside of the word. 

5)  For the flower, you should see all of the raised portions easily from the back.  Place the metal blue side down on a piece of suede.  Use the Mercart Ball tools to push the metal down into the suede.  Use a small one for the lines and the small dots, and a larger one for the center dot.

6)  Flip the flower over and place on a hard, flat surface.  Use only the Mercart Teflon Tool to flatten the parts that raised up when you worked on the back. 

7)  Flip it over and add Mercart Filling Paste.  Let it dry, then flip it and sand it.

8)  Trim around both of the metal pieces with an ordinary pair of scissors and adhere.

You are done!  I know it seems like a lot of steps, but it probably took me longer to type these steps than it did to create the card.  Go check out the other blogs today and get inspired.

Now it is your turn.  Create a project that uses the theme of May Flowers, put it online somewhere (even Flickr) and link it with the Mr. Linky on the Dreamweaver.  You could win wonderful prizes!

If you get a chance, stop by again on Sunday for my very first post for one of my newest ventures, the Connie Crystal Design Team!  See you then!