Papertrey Ink April Blog Hop Challenge

It's time again for a Papertrey Ink blog hop.  The image is above is what we are to use for inspiration to make a card.  I have to say I really struggled with this one.   We were given the photo early and I kept looking at it and nothing was entering my mind at all.  Finally today I looked at it and and my light bulb turned on!  I decided this image reminds me of a topiary!  So thus the card below was born!

I took a few photos to show you just how this card came together.

(Sorry for the bad photo..I used my phone and apparently didn't have my hand steady! UGH!)
First I made a stencil using some circle dies.  I sponged peeled paint distress ink within the circles letting the circles fall off the edge of the card a bit.  This created my topiary base shape.
Then using various shades of green ink I stamped an image from PTI's Friendship Jar Flowers repeatedly randomly over the sphere shapes.  I was sure to extend the stamp beyond the sponged sphere to hide the hard edge and give the appearance of leaves.  Then I added the flower center stamp from the same set to stamp little red berries on top of the foliage.

I used the circles I had cut for my stencils as a mask so I could stamp my topiary trunk.  I actually think this could have been done first prior to adding the foliage stamp.  I used a balloon string stamped repeatedly to achieve the twisting trunk.  I think if I were to do this again I would simply draw in the trunk with a fine point marker.

PTI's tiny tag die cut in terracotta tile card stock  (with the top of the tag where the hole is cut off ) functioned well as a pot for my topiary.  I rounded the two outside corners of the card for something different and inked the edges  with brushed corduroy distress ink for some depth.

Whew!  That was a tough one..I'm glad I made the deadline!

Supplies are listed and linked below:

PTI Think Big Favorites #2 Mini Stamp Set	PTI Tiny Tags Die	PTI Frienship Jar Flowers

PTI Pure Poppy Dye Ink	PTI Spring Moss Dye Ink	PTI Green Parakeet Dye Ink

Peeled Paint Distress Ink	Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink	Mini Ink Blending Tool

Momento Rich Cocoa Dye Ink	Momento Bamboo Leaves Dye Ink	PTI Birthday Style Stamp Set

Thanks for stopping by! Please come back again!

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