Being very crafty

Hello everyone and a warm welcome to my new followers I hope you stay for plenty of coffee and chit chat . Now my card for you today is one I have to make for my Mother in Law her birthday is just under a month away and it's a special one (she'll be 65 but sssshhhhhhh I haven't told you that ) so wanted something 'special' for it and also it wasn't from me but it will be from her mom & dad so, Anyhooooo I have recently found and follow a very talented lady and she is mainly to blame for inspiring this card if you don't know Pamellia or her work I suggest you pop over and take a look. Oh boy did she get my creative juices flowing.
So here is my card now I will warn you there are quite a few pics as there is so much detail in this card I wanted to get across. So I hope I don't bore you

I followed this sketch for LO

Card is made by making an 8x8" square card blank

 The papers I used are freebies as usual and have been distressed and inked with fired brick frayed burlap and antique linen DI then this is where Pamellia came into things she has been making cards using texture paste and paints and so on and it's been an age since I  have used them so I thought why not. Thje only trouble was when I got my texture paste out (Home made) it had set solid so another batch had to be made.  I was getting messy already (yayyyyyy)

 So I set to work making my backing pieces the first I decided to a crackle paint effect

 I took a piece of quite heavy card and inked it all over with fired brick DI then added pva glue Oh my the reaction from the ink to the glue was beautiful all the colours came out yellows brown yummy anyway, I dried it with heat gun to speed up process (very impatient)being very careful not to bubble the glue. Then when it was tacky I went over with acrylic paint using a deep cream and a crea with glitter in then heated again to start the crackle effect.
When I was ready to use the piece I trimmed it down to size then distressed the edges and inked with frayed burlap.I also stamped over it using a freebie embossing folder  and fired brick but you can't really see in this pic.

for the 2nd piece I took a 62 sq scalloped card cut in half covered with gesso the when dry added texture paste then painted over that and while the paint was still wet I added embossing powders tinsel snowflake (papermania) and silver meltdust (MCS) then heated to help dry quicker.
After this I got one of my embossing folders(couture creations swept away) and inked up if frayed burlap and then ran it very lightly through my cuttle bug.

 While all this was going on I took the image and inked with clear versa mark then clear embossing powder repeated this about 3 times then put the image in the freezer and left it for a while.
 I also took a couple of die cut Butterflies that my very dear Sandra did for me (thank you sweetie) and embossed the bottom solid one with a red powder and the top one with a glittery red and silver powder then stuck them together hiding the glue with red gems.

 I did the same with the corners (again thank you Sandra oh she loves me).
The sentiment I created on my PC and inked with antique linen and edged with frayed bulap.

The flowers are all hand made except the roses they are (shock horror) brought ones(I know shameful)

 I made the berry clusters using micro beads and flower wire and added pearls to incorporate the handmade embellishment on sentiment.

 Now this little blitter oh it caused me some problems, The story behind is this. Again Pamellia making her beautiful cards had this embellishment that she said was a broach now me being me that's nice I wonder if I could make one so here it is what a game but I'm so glad it paid off. I got teardrop pearls and covered with a pva glue and inked but then didn't like the effect as the glue was clumping when it peeled of and looked dirty rather than old so I  got most of it off and coloured with some SN pens you can still see there is some glue on but at least it does look as though it ages rather than it's handled by a child with snotty fingers (excuse my example but you get what I mean). Then there was the trying to get it to stick in place AAaaaarrrrggggghhhhhh I tried glossy accents (not strong enough) photo glue (to wet) so in the end it was good old pinflair I had added straight pins to the pearls mainly so I could hold them but also to fill the hole so I cut the pins down so I had something to stick in the glue the cut a small circle and placed them around that. did the same with the larger ones, then, when dry glued together for the centre I was going to use another teardrop pearl but it didn't sit right so I opted for a round one which fitted a lot better.

 I added some more pearls here and there to the card instead of gems (just for a change)

 and there you have it I still have to finish the insert as it is for my Nan in Law she always has to have a lovely verse pu inside and as yet I haven't found a fitting one but I will

 Here is a side view of card and I will leave you with an arty view of the image which I forgot to say I fetched out of freezer cracked and inked with antique linen and frayed burlap before adding to a die cut frame (with added pearls)

 So Thank you Sandra for your love and little butterflies and corners and thank you Pamellia for the inspiration hope I have done you proud
I would like to enter this into the following challenges
http://unstampabelleschallenges.blogspot.com.au  Significant Birthday (65) shape (large sq)

http://craftingattheweekend.blogspot.co.uk/ ATG

 http://craftycalendarchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  ATG

http://wedodoobadoo.blogspot.co.uk/ Texture

http://creativecornerchallenges.blogspot.de/  Girly

http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ ATG

http://emeraldfaeries.blogspot.co.uk/ PEARLS AND SWIRLS (swirls in the embossing)

http://itsallaboutthevintagechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Ancient (well she is 65 hehehe only joking)

 papers in the making
Thanks for popping by