Inspiration Challenge and Copying Gina

I found a challenge on SCS the other day that I really wanted to try. It involved creating a button border of some kind. You got extra credit for using hand stitching and using one of Sally's sketches. I love the look of stitching on pages, but I've never been brave enough to try to do it. I also combined it with a challenge to scraplift Gina (Mousey'sMom). I didn't scraplift one of her pages, but I tried to emulate her beautiful distressing.

I was exhausted! I really liked the grid look in the sketch and I didn't have grid patterned paper, so I made my own using whisper white cardstock, the tempting turquoise stampin' marker, and the lines on my stamping grid paper. I hand stitched a dark turquoise circle in the pink circle (the free form next to the button ring) using some embroidery thread. I really enjoyed it and think it looks nice! I really admire Gina's work, however, I'm a *terrible* distresser! I've talked to her this week about "how to" and I decided to give it a whirl. I already had my pictures cropped and matted, my colors picked, and the layout of my dps. I did all of that Monday night. Wednesday night I spent almost 2 1/2 hours distressing, inking, and getting it to look right! I even embraced the tear. :) Whew! Hats off to you, Gina!

Turning Four


Stamps: best friends upper alphabet
Paper: gable green, pretty in pink, dots and dashes dsp, tempting turquoise
Ink: close to cocoa, tempting turquoise
Accessories: SU distressing tool, simon upper chipboard, assorted buttons, dimensionals, pink passion stampin' marker, tempting turquoise stampin' marker, crystal effects, sponges, embroidery thread
Techniques: distressing, sponging, sewing