Eiffel Tower and Floral Baroque Congrats Gold Card

This card's core was fundamentally quite basic compared to the end result.  I had made a large quantity of the original piece, in an array of colors, to send to Operation Write Home and kept some on-hand for surprise occasions.  The "core card" was originally based upon one that I had received.  You may see the other card by visiting my post:  "Sandi MacIver-Inspired: Eiffel Tower Medallion Card "

Starting with the core card, I pulled off the medallion, re-worked the entire project, and explored new ways to use Ranger Ink's "Glossy Accents," versus how I used the product in my last project.  I documented my new uses of this product in my last post:  Flying Insect Collection in the Spring Garden Card. 

Specific to this "Congrats" card, I used glossy accents even more; this are the applications and techniques for which the product was enjoyed:  adhering, sealing, coating, blending colors, creating shine, dimension, and texture, embellishing, attaching, and as an insurance policy--because, sometimes, adhesive gems lose their stickiness, and "Glossy Accents" ensures that tiny things remain attached. 

Currently, "Glossy Accents" exists as my favorite product.  It has expanded my crafting world and incrementally increased my mixed-media confidence.  This products has made me feel much more proud of the cards I have made, and the one pictured above was finished late yesterday without any particular challenge in-mind.  Late last night, as I was working on this blog post and searching for challenges, I became excited when I learned that Simon Says Stamp Blog's "Wednesday Challenge" was featuring Ranger's "Glossy Accents"--my timing could not have been more perfect--and it perfectly worked with the anniversary of the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #13, too!  Below, please find a complete list of challenges, into which I submitted my card

CHALLENGES
Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #13 A Year of Choices and Some Changes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Use Your Favorite Technique and/or Products
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Don't Cut, Just Paste
Crafting Muskateers #26 Shades of Summer
Addicted to Stamps Challenge #106 Summer Colours

INGREDIENTS
Papers:  White CS (Staples, 110#), More Mustard CS (Stampin' Up!), Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!), More Mustard Patterned DSP/Regals Stack (Stampin' Up!).

Inks:  More Mustard (Stampin' Up!), Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!), Glossy Accents (Ranger), Gold Glow Spritzer (Stampin' Up!), Gold Pigment (Colorbox).
Enamels/Powders/Glitters:  Detail Gold Emboss Enamel (Personal Stamp Exchange), Gold Ultra-fine Jewel Glitter (Mark Enterprises).
Stamps:  Elements of Style (Stampin' Up!), Urban Grunge by Tim Holtz (Stamper's Anonymous), Baroque Motifs (Stampin' Up!), Artistic Etchings (Stampin' Up!), French Script (Stampin' Up!), Vintage Vogue (Stampin' Up!), Tiny Tags (Stampin' Up!), French Foliage (Stampin' Up!), Silhouette Sentiments (Stampin' Up!),

Big Shot/Cuttlebug:  Vintage Wallpaper Emboss Folder (Sizzix/Stampin' Up!).

Cricut:  Sweet Treats.

Punches:  1/16" Circle (Stampin' Up!), 1/8" Circle (Stampin' Up!), 2-step Bird (Stampin' Up!), Small Oval (Stampin' Up!).

Embellishments:  More Mustard Satin Ribbon (Stampin' Up!), Gold Cord (Recollections), Adhesive Pearls (Jewelry Essentials), Brights Candy Dots (Stampin' Up!).

Flying Insect Collection in the Spring Garden Card

I created all of the garden's and bugs' various details for the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge, a blog that is celebrating its first anniversary of challenges.  I tried to incorporate as many of the previous year's challenges as possible.  The following is the set of options I utilized:  spray inks and mists, around the house, photo inspiration (use of yellow, orange and green...pink in the form of an intense magenta created by using cherry colored cardstock that was transformed by Ranger brand's "Glossy Accents"), fiber/raffia, stamps, Tic Tac Toe (grid challenge:  punch, stamps, ribbon/raffia), New to You, April Showers (Splatter stamp on card base), and May Flowers.
 

DCWV produced the insect background cardstock, and I fussy-cut each of the bugs that have the three-dimensional appearance, inked the backs and sides in a coordinating caramel color, then added Glossy Accents to the bodies to create some dimension.  Glossy Accents was also used as the adhesive to help hold the positions of the wings, to glue the bugs to the garden area, and to adhere each insect to its original image on the cardstock.  This was layered on a corner-rounded, darker cardstock and placed onto a base that I stamped, sponged, and used a spritzer tool to add ink to it. 

Cricut's "Plantin Schoolbook" cut the grass and flowers.  Grass blades were snipped more, vertically.  Some edges were inked.  The pieces were then corrugated.  I snipped the flowers, embellished them with candy dots, punched CS circles and inks.  Glossy Accents were added for texture, to create a seal, and as an adhesive.  New to me:  using Ranger's "Glossy Accents" as an adhesive and maintain an object's structure.  The branches were punched, spritzed in a homemade alcohol ink (new to me), sponged, and coated in Glossy Accents. 

After I finished submitting my card for the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge, I found that my project needed more attention.  I added more insects and made a few tweaks to improve the piece's overall appearance.  Once everything dried, I packaged the card in a clear cellophane bag, and tied it closed with natural raffia.  Finally, I was pleased with the finished product..in fact, I was delighted by it--and also delighted to find a small set of additional challenges for which to submit this "Flying Insect Collection in the Spring Garden Card."  Please find their respective information below:   

Challenges/Links

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #13 A Year of Choices and Some Changes

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper June Challenge

Petal Lu Challenge for June 15, 2015 Lacy Sunshine:  Anything Goes

Inkspirational Challenge #84:  Photo Inspiration

Just Us Girls Challenge Trend Week #297:  Stacked Die Cuts

Card Ingredients

Papers:  Dark Romance Stack (DCWV), Cream CS (Staples, #110), Cherry Cobbler CS (Stampin' Up!), Mud Pie Textured CS (Bazzil Basics Christmas Stack for My Mind's Eye Signature Christmas), Old Olive CS (Stampin' Up!), Creamy Caramel Textured CS (Stampin' Up!), More Mustard (Stampin' Up!).

Inks:  Creamy Caramel (Stampin' Up!), Really Rust (Stampin' Up!), Glossy Accents (Ranger), Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!), Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!), Homemade Alcohol Ink Spritz (Garden Green by Stampin' Up! and More Mustard by Stampin' Up!), Pumpkin Pie (Stampin' Up!), Old Olive (Stampin' Up!).

Stamp(s)/Set(s):  French Foliage (Stampin' Up!), Delight in Life (Stampin' Up!).

Punches/Tools:  Corner Rounder (Marvy Uchida), 2-Step Bird (Stampin' Up!), 1/4" Circle (Staples ?), 1/8" Circle (Stampin' Up!), Corrugator (Stampin' Up!), Spritzer (Stampin' Up!).

Cricut Cartridge(s):  Plaintin Schoolbook.

Embellishments:  Brights Candy Dots (Stampin' Up!), Antique Brad (Stampin' Up!), Natural Raffia (Wrap It Up!).