Back to School Challenge

     Good Monday Morning.  You know that means another fun challenge at Heart Song Inspirations and this is the card I did as a DT sample.  As always, each challenge is a two-part option, and this week we want to see Back to School themes, or Circles, or both if you choose.  The sketch is from Repeat Impressions.

     This delightful stitched apple digi is one of Leah's new releases this month and you can find it here.  As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to paper piece it because it reminded me of quilting!   Paper piecing digis is one of my favorite techniques, too.  I can't think of anything that says "Back to School" more than an apple for the teacher.  However, I think the apple images themselves might count as "circles" for that part of the challenge.  Still, you're not required to do both options, so either one will do.

     One of the things I love about digis is that you can change the size of them before printing.  For this card, I printed the apple image the size I wanted for the main image but I printed it on three different papers: white, red with polka dots, and a pale green with a slight pattern in it.  Please don't ask me who made those papers because I've been hoarding them in my stash for so long that I have no idea. 

      Next step, I adjusted the size of the image so it was smaller and set it to print multiple times on the same page.  I printed that on my chosen background dp which was a light red, striped paper (also hoarded in my stash.)  Then, I cut out the part of the apple with the seeds and the leaf from the green paper, cut the outer part of the apple from the red paper, and glued both of them to the image printed on the white paper.  I colored the stem with colored pencil.  I matted the image with the same polka dot, red paper.

     I cut the background paper to size and layered it onto the card base, then added the matted image.   I wanted to keep it relatively simple but I knew it needed embellishing.  I chose red gingham ribbon (from Really Reasonable Ribbon), and crimped it so it would be easier to loop down the card.  I used my favorite double-stick tape, "Tear"-iffic (from Sparkle 'n' Sprinkle), and ran a 3/8" strip of it down the card front, then took the crimped ribbon and attached it to the tape, making sure I left "loops" of it unattached.  It gives such great dimension to the card and is really easy to do.  Finally, I made the flower from several layers of paper petals, coloring one with red marker to make it stand out, attached the two butterfly buttons, and added a rhinestone brad to the middle of the flower.

     Now, I designed this card primarily for HSI but also for the following challenges.  Pixie Cottage, where I used the "favorite technique" part of their challenge (paper piecing);  Bling It On, an A, B, C challenge where you have to use something that starts with each ABC letter.  I used the Apple, the 2 Buttons, and the Crimped ribbon;  Cooking It Up with Katie, a recipe challenge of Old (papers), New (the Apple digi), and Favorite Technique (paper piecing); Crafty Catz for Back to School; and Paper Cutz for School Days plus 1 ribbon, 2 buttons, and three colors (red, white and green.)

     Have a great day and don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's projects.  Then, go make something yourself and submit it to the HSI challenge.  You could be a winner!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie