Heartfelt Thanks

I'm not sure what happens with the camera sometimes - still learning about taking pictures of  my cards.  In this case, the color of the card at the top is what it is at the bottom, too (purples instead of black & grey!), but you get the idea anyway.  I suspect the issue is that they are both glimmery papers, so the light catches them differently at the top than at the bottom. 

Today I have two more of my "Thanksgiving Cards", though they could just as easily serve as Thank You cards at any time of the year.  They both started with the same "Antique Autumn Tags One" stamp set from JustRite (and matching die set) that I've been showcasing this week.  I love this frame.  As you can see, the two focals look quite different, even though I used exactly the same stamps and both even have turquoise as a major color in them.  The inner sentiment this time, was not from that set.  It was from another of their sets called "Fancy Tags".

The large light purple mat at the base of this first card is a beautiful shimmery purple/lavender paper that I scavenged from a used store-bought card. The turquoise is paper from Hot Off the Press, while the purple and white are glimmer papers from my stash.  One of the techniques I used with this card was to cut my die cuts apart to create the look I wanted.  This is what I did:

• Starting with the corner treatments on the turquoise layer, those were cut with a Spellbinder's die from their Adorning Squares set.  The die cuts out a square from which I cut the corners to "adorn" the corners of the turquoise layer.  
• The next layer up started with a piece of the white paper that was embossed with an M-Bossability folder, then covered with a pretty French Lattice die cut (Cheery Lynn die) from which I trimmed the edges (putting the long edges under the long edges of the white for a bit of an illusion of a mat). 
• Next layer up is purple.  I cut one of the larger pieces from the Spellbinder's Labels Twenty-Seven die set and then cut that in half and arranged each half at either end of my white and purple piece that forms the next layer up.
• The next layer is a white piece cut with TWO dies from the Resplendent Rectangles die set (Spellbinders) which forms a frame for the purple piece that was cut from a die from their Fancy Ribbon Threader die set. I cut a couple strips of the turquoise paper to weave through this purple piece in place of ribbon.
• This all laid the foundation for showcasing my framed sentiment.  After stamping it, I colored it with gel pens and added a "jewel" with some purple Stickles.  The sentiment is attached with foam tape for added dimension.

Next up is a second card using the same stamped focal, but colored differently. 

• Focal: This time it was colored with turquoise chalk and then the silver design was colored with gel pen.  The "jewel" this time was done with liquid pearls.  This framed sentiment was attached to a piece of black glittered cardstock that was cut with a die from Spellbinder's Ornate Squares.  The ends of the tag focal are tucked into the openings in the black glitter die cut, and then the whole thing is attached with foam tape.
• Plain turquoise layer is cut with a die from Spellbinder's Resplendent Rectangles.  I used the same die as a template, tracing around it and cutting out the black mat that showcases this piece so well.
• The next layer down is one of those made with the Embossed Waxed Paper Resist Technique shown here.
• This is matted with a piece of black that was embossed in an M-Bossabilities folder.

As Thanksgiving draws near, one of the things I'm thankful for this morning is the chance to do some paper crafting again!  It's been way too long and I've missed it!