One of those FOREVER projects

Have you ever had one of those projects that you visualized in your head, it was AMAZING, and then when you went to put it together, something went wrong and it all just stalled out? Well, this is my most recent one. I had the gorgeous background done, the top border, and a selection of cute rosettes. Some were assembled, some weren't quite done, some were glittered and beaded and... and... and... well, it wasn't finished. None of them really worked, and something was just... missing every time I went to try and finish it. That was a couple of months ago. Turns out, it was just waiting for the right stamps to come along. Here is my finally finished wall hanging.

It's going in my craft room. I love it! I got the unfinished frame for a dollar. It was one of those things that I found for cheap in the kids' craft section, all one piece so a masterpiece could just be pasted into it. Does that make sense? So, I just put my stuff ON it, I didn't have to create the piece and stuff it into the back. This did present a small challenge as I didn't measure the opening quite right and ended up having to glue in an extra strip at the top. It doesn't bother me any more, but it really bugged me when it happened. I painted the whole frame with ivory acrylic paint and mod-podged the designer paper to it. Did you know they make SPARKLE mod podge??? It's awesome. I painted over the whole Elegant Soiree DSP panel with it. Then I used my color spritzer tool to sprinkle everything with Early Espresso and Basic Gray markers, followed by a shot of Vanilla Smooch Spritz. It was sprinkly and sparkly and beautiful. I punched out the top border using the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch, and Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze (if you can't see it, I used the full shape, filling in the backs of the flowers), and I can't really tell what that light brown is... it's been a while and it doesn't look like the current neutrals. Sigh. Once the flowers were punched, I laid them out on scrap paper and spritzed them with Early Espresso as well.

I cut the blossoms in half and adhered them across the top. Then, I was stuck. I tried placing all the different rosettes I had made, but none of them looked quite right. Just... blah. I did assemble the center blossom with the cute Antique Brad at the same time as the border flowers. And it all sat. UNTIL TODAY. I was inspired. One of the first new sets I had marked in the new catalog was Creative Elements. Which cracked me up because I am usually grabbed first by the Elements section of the catalog, and I could instantly see a zillion projects and cards that I knew I would make once I had it in my hot little hands! So, how does that rosette look as the flower on the printed "stem"? I used the Elegant Soiree DSP, edged with the Scallop Trim Border Punch, scored between each scallop.

I borrowed the Eyelet Border Punch from a friend and punched a border from textured Soft Suede card stock. I laid it on the frame and got goosebumps - PERFECT! So I cut another border from Crumb Cake textured card stock (I love this stuff), offset and glued them together, and spritzed them with Early Espresso. A note here. I did this twice. The first time, I also sprayed the assembled border with Log Cabin Smooch Spritz. I did use scrap paper behind it, but did you know: 1. that stuff sprays a LOT, and 2. it's not exciting to clean it out of the carpet when you don't think to put the to-be-sprayed item in a box first? Such is my life. Anyway! It was perfect for the space without the Log Cabin... all for the better, I guess - for me, if not for the carpet. Don't tell my husband.

I had already adhered the eyelet border in place when I decided butterflies were in order. And the Create corner. There's a little overlap but who's looking? Seriously, quit looking. I am so glad I thought to use the new stamp set. It works so well with this!! I had some Baja Breeze textured card stock that I just knew would be AMAZING, layered behind (of course, behind) the border with the Create legend fussy cut from Very Vanilla card stock on top. I used Soft Suede ink for all the stamping.

I also took the finial border from the set and stamped it in Soft Suede - stamped off once before I added it to the frame, since the butterflies were full strength and it would have been too much if I hadn't. Like that run-on sentence? As you can see, I had a little ink get on the frame but that doesn't really bother me at all. I was kind of squeezing it in as this was the last element added to the piece, and I had to work around the rosette on the other side as well. It was a tight fit, but it worked. Thank goodness for acrylic blocks, since I would never have been able to make this work with a wood block stamp.

I love it. It makes me smile. I am SO GLAD I decided to finish it. Really, I was cleaning up the mess in my living room when I came across it, and I couldn't just move it as it was. ADD, anyone? Hmmm.... So, here is the finished project once again. What do you think??

All stamping supplies Stampin' Up:
Stamp Set: Creative Elements
Ink: Soft Suede
Markers: Early Espresso, Basic Gray, Baja Breeze
Card Stock: Baja Breeze (smooth and textured), Soft Suede textured, Crumb Cake textured, Very Vanilla, old mystery brown...
Designer Series Paper: Elegant Soiree
Punches, Tools, Etc: Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer, Eyelet Border, Scallop Trim Border, Color Spritzer, Antique Brads, cheap-o frame, acrylic paint, matte & sparkle Mod Podge

So happy to complete another UFO!! (UnFinished Object!)
Becca