Rustic Charm

Good morning blogging buddies - hope you're all in fine fettle this morning! I can't believe it's November 1st today - where has the year disappeared to?


It's time for a new challenge at Feeling Sketchy ... before I reveal this week's sketch, I'm sure you'll want to know who our sponsor is for this challenge!



We're welcoming the lovely Nikky Hall and her team from Polkadoodles as our sponsors this time. In Nikky's words, Polkadoodles is a UK based creative company specialising in papercraft products. We design and manufacture our own digital CD-rom products, rubber and clear stamps and a number of other products for use in papercrafting which are sold worldwide.

But don't just take Nikky's word for it - why not take a peek at the website and see what a wonderful treasure trove of images, papers, sentiments and inspiration from Nikky's DT using the gorgeous Polkadoodles products!


Now, here's Michelle's sketch for the challenge:

and here's my card using the sketch:

I'm hoping that if I haven't struck shabby chic with this card that I have at least achieved rustic charm, as I seem to struggle with this look! What do you think? Let me know!

My card recipe is as follows:

• Card base - is pre-made in white card measuring approx 14.8cm square
• Papers - are from the gorgeous Eden Collection - Paper Heaven 3 which you can get as a digital download from Polkadoodles. I have used Paper 13 for my base layer and also Paper 16 and Paper 18 for the border layers. As I don't have any border dies and only 1 border punch, I decided to use a quilling flower die to make the border so it ties in with my quilled flower! I distressed all the edges of each paper layer using Vintage Photo Distress Ink and my latest "Frugal Crafter" purchase - 20 make-up sponge wedges for £1!!! Seems to have done the job quite efficiently, me thinks! I finished the papers off by wrapping 3 rows of twine around the card base to hide the paper join ;o)
  
• Sentiment - is also from Polkadoodles and is one of the twenty two sentiments (yes, 22!) that come in the Eden Collection - Say It All bundle. I've die cut this using my second largest Die'sire Essentials Squares Die which I left in place whilst I gave a slick of Vintage Photo Distress Ink over the top of it to give a frame effect around the edge. I used the same jute string and the bow maker on my Ultimate Pro to make the multi-layered bow which I fixed to the top of the sentiment frame.
• Flower - is made from a Die'sire Classiques Quilling Flower Die which is called Blossom. I used one length of the Stamen Die to make the centre of the flower and then rolled/quilled 2 lengths of cardstock printed with Paper 18 from Eden Collection - Paper Heaven 3 round the centre. Once finished and the strips were secured, I shaped the petals with a tool, lightly distressed the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and added a pearl to the flower centre, before afixing the flower to the card.
  

Do head over to the Feeling Sketchy blog and see the other wonderful creations using this time's sketch from my talented team mates. Then come back and show us your "take" on the sketch -as usual, you can flip it, rotate it, swap images, shapes etc. ... we just need to be able to see that you've been inspired by our sketch whilst you've been creating! This challenge closes on 14th November 2015. 

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge:

• Challenge #170 - Flowers at Brown Sugar Challenge

Until next time,

Hugs, Helen x