Spotlight on Nature

 

When I read the name of this bundle, I imediately thought of the the giant search lights that are were over New York City and Chicago when I was a kid. Those rotating beams drew attention to clubs, theaters, car dealerships, grand openings etc. My Daddy trained and owned race horses so we spent the summers in big cities racing. While sitting in the grandstand watching Daddy's races with my Mom, I'd see those lights and wonder what people were drawn to them and what event it might be. I had a great childhood, growing up on a farm, but with exposure to all big cities had to offer as well. 

The spotlight in this bundle is the circle dies. There are 12 dies and patterns with six different sizes. You can use these dies to spotlight the stamps in the set in many different ways. I have three examples to show you today. All using the Spotlight in Nature bundle, but with different colors and layouts. Colors are listed below each card and a full tutorial for the last one.

You'll notice I always say, "alcohol ink markers." I already had a HUGE collection of Copic Markers when Stampin' Up! came out with Stampin' Blends. It was not difficult for me to come up with a fairly close equivilent to SU colors. I couldn't just let all those lovely Copics sit there unused. I did buy a rather nice collection of Stampin' Blends to use in my classes. Stampin' Blends are a great product, especially if you are new to alcohol inks, as they are cheaper and easier to use with a simple blending system; each marker comes in light and dark. Copics have a rather complicated blending system using the numbers and letters of the markers. Odd and even numbers two away from each other blend nicely, etc. If you too, have Copics, and would like  to know what colors are an approximation of SU colors. I made a chart (of course!). Here is a copy.  I got design inspirations from Christey Gridley and Tammy Civello. 

Cardstocks: Basic White, Berry Burst. White embossed greeting, images stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black and colored with Alcohol ink markers. Butterfly has Wink of Stella to provide some glimmer. White baker's twine.

Cardstocks: Peach Pie, Basic White. Ink Pads: Memento Tuxedo Black, Peach Pie, Petunia Pop. Colored with Alcohol ink markers. Butterfly has Wink of Stella to provide some glimmer. Unbounded Love dies, Peach Pie Bordered Ribbon, Zinnias embossing folder inked with Peach Pie then run through Cut & Emboss machine.

All Measurements in Inches

Materials:

• Stamps & Dies: Spotlight On Nature bundle

• Cardstocks: Coastal Cabana, Basic White, Shaded Spruce, Highland Heather

• Ink Pads: Shaded Spruce, Coastal Cabana, Highland Heather

• Linen Thread

• Dotted Circles 3D Embossing Folder

• Purple Fine Shimmer Gems

• Stampin' Dimensionals

Preparation:

• Coastal Cabana cs card base 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 scored at 4-1/4.

• Embossed Coastal Cabana cs panel 5 1/4 x 4 plus two embossed 1/2 x 4 strips.

• Shaded Spruce cs circle 3 1/4 die cut with the Spotlight On Nature dies.

• Embossed Coastal Cabana cs circle 2 1/4 die cut with the Spotlight On Nature dies.

• Highland Heather cs circle 2-3/4 x 2-3/4 die cut with the Spotlight On Nature dies.

• Basic White cs leaves, flowers, & butterflies – fussy cut with paper snips.

• Basic White cs sentiment panel 3/4 x 2 and use paper snips to cut both ends at a slant.

• Basic White cs inside panel 5 1/8 x 3 7/8.

• Linen Thread

Assemble Card:

1. Start with a Coastal Cabana cardstock card base. Cut a Coastal Cabana cardstock panel.

2. Diecut three circles from the Spotlight On Nature dies: Shaded Spruce, Coastal Cabana and Highland Heather.

3. Dry emboss the 5-1/4 x 4 Coastal Cabana and the diecut circle with the Dotted Circles 3D embossing folder.

4. Glue the Shaded Spruce cardstock circle to the center of the embossed Coastal Cabana panel. Then glue the embossed Coastal Cabana cardstock circle and the Highland Heather circle to the card front overlapping the Shaded Spruce circle.

5. Stamp the leaves twice in Shaded Spruce ink, the flowers in Coastal Cabana ink, and the butterfly twice in Highland Heather ink on Basic White cardstock.

6. Color the leaves and the butterflies with Stampin’ Blends and the flowers with the Coastal Cabana watercolor pencil & blender pen. Fussy cut the colored images. Add Wink of Stella to the flowers and the butterfly wings.

7. Glue the leaves to the card front overlapping the diecut circles. Add the flowers with Stampin’ Dimensionals overlapping the leaves and diecut circles. Use glue dots and a Stampin’ Dimensional to add a butterfly above and slightly tucked under the flower.

8. Tie Linen Thread in a bow and adhere on the right side of the card front. Adhere the panel to the card front with Dimensionals.

9. On a Basic White scrap, stamp the sentiment from in Highland Heather ink. Cut both sides of the sentiment panel at a slant.

10. Add the sentiment to the left side of the card front overlapping the Linen Thread and flowers & leaves with a Stampin’ Dimensionals and glue dots. Add Purple Fine Shimmer Gems to the sentiment panel and card front.