Rhapsody in Blue

Hi everyone,

I am so excited to bring you this card I started last night.  Waltzing Mouse hosted a Flower Show last Thursday and along with it a competition to CASE one of the designer's projects.  I didn't think I would be able to make anything as we are expecting visitors and not only do I have to get the whole house ship shape, but they're staying in my craft room so it really needed an overhaul - it was what you might call a bit of a mess !!!
Anyway I got my dates wrong and they're not arriving until tomorrow so I thought I'd give it a go - after all how often do you get the opportunity to copy such incredible talent, plus there is a chance to win 5 stamp sets of your choice.  I would have liked to CASE all of them but this one from Anne-Elise was definitely my favourite.  I have always admired her cards but she really outdid herself with this one.

I think it's one of the most exquisite card I have ever seen and there was this little voice saying "You could never make something like that" but fortunately I didn't listen and went ahead anyway.

As you can see I didn't change much apart from the colour (why mess with perfection) and anything I did change was really only from necessity (and lack of talent), but I'm really pleased with the result.  I feel like I've just had a few rounds in the kitchen with a master chef and been told some of their secret michelin star winning secrets, which is of course true except it's card making not cooking.  It was brilliant watching it take shape as I was creating all the layers - working out which spellbinders dies to use, the colours and the materials, and of course the stamping process which, as always with Waltzing Mouse stamps was sheer joy.  I never cease to be amazed by how fantastic these stamps are in real life. 

  

As you can see I opted for the Cabin Plaid background rather than the gingham, stamping with Versacolour's Smoke Blue and embossed with clear powder.  I have had this blue vellum in my stash for years now waiting just for the right moment, and I stamped the large flower and two of the smaller elements from Folk Art Medallions and embossed with Stampendous white embossing powder.  I used a Resplendent rectangle and a Persian Accent as layers and the little flourish from Parisian Accents for the background foliage.  I had to make do with the ribbon in my stash and I tried to stay true to Anne-Elise's layers but had no baker's twine and used some green crafting floss instead.  I'm not happy with how the gems photographed - in real life they're softer and a good match for the green foliage.  I guess they were happy to be basking in the glorious late evening spring sunshine.  BTW if you look closely at the background, you'll see my flowering plum tree which is absolutely bursting with blossoms now - no doubt spurred on by the card I made last week ;o)

Thank you Anne-Elise for sharing your wonderful talent, and Claire for not only designing the most fantastic stamp sets on the planet but for giving us this opportunity to create and learn from some of the masters of the business.  The Flower Show Competition is open until the 30th so why not waltz on over there and be in with a chance for some great prizes.