CCM #163 Pearls or Gems

Our challenge at Crafty Cardmakers this time is Pearls or Gems. You can choose either, or indeed both, as I have done on my card.

I made my card with just white card, embossing folders and a die, plus small amounts of purple mirror board, and of course, the pearls and gems.

The bottom layer combines a new embossing folder that shipped with the Gemini diecutting machine from Crafters Companion, the criss cross trellis pattern, and a die that was released at the same time, 12” long, that both die cuts a scalloped edge and cuts out the scrollwork above it. I did the diecut edge first and then embossed the trellis design above it. The panel above is also a new embossing folder that came packaged with the machine, and which I trimmed down to fit. I also put it through a second time in the mirror board and then trimmed just three elements out to emphasise some of the imagery in that folder.

The pearls were in my stash and self coloured, but the gems, were clear auroa borealis which I coloured to match the purple of the card accents and matting.

Finally I added a couple of uncoloured gems to the purple accents and diecut a couple of words to finish it off.

Have to say, whilst the 12” dies are a novelty and will of course allow you to cut a full length of A4, they will not allow you to properly cut across the width of A4 because you cannot, of course, get them in the machine across the width as that is still limited to 8”. So I can see the idea of the dies, but I fear that are more style over content as they lack a certain practicality and limit the use of the dies. I really wanted to make a full card with the pattern at the bottom, but I couldn’t get it in the machine that way round, so instead had to cut a panel which I then diecut vertically as I couldn’t do so horizontally.

I am entering this into:-

A Gem of a Challenge – #168 Favourite Colour Combination (Purple and White)
Alphabet Challenge – E for Embossing Folders
Come and Get It – #116 Make Your Own Embellishment
Creative Fingers – #108 Always Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday – #423 No Patterned Papers
Eclectic Ellapu – May: Anything Goes
Jade’s Sparkling Butterflies – #18 Add A Sentiment
Polkadoodles – Swirls and Flourishes (I hope my diecut flourish border counts?)
Quirky Crafts – May: April Showers Bring Quirky May Flowers
Southern Girls – #133 Texture