SugarPea Designs Mix It Up Challenge #59 {Holding you in my Heart}

Hello and welcome! I've got a post over on the SugarPea Designs Blog today and I'll be sharing here as well! It's my turn for the current Mix It Up Challenge and I chose to use both sides of the challenge; sketch and photo/colors and lots of beautiful New Release products!

I picked my cardstock colors from the swatches in the photo and followed the sketch better than I usually do (wink, wink). 

The current status of my card stash is as follows: Sympathy-0; birthday-slim pickins, baby-sad, everything else-explosive! So...with that in mind, I decided to create a Sympathy card using the challenge! The new die cuts from the Floral Pocket Tag were the perfect starting point for today's card! I die cut quite a few flowers and leaves so I would have a lot of options using the colors in the challenge. 

I die cut the blue panel using the Card Front Element Builder II just to get some of the stitched dots along the diagonal edge at the top. Once that was done, I used the new Leaf Cover Plate to dry emboss the blue panel. I am obsessed with the deep, beautiful impression it leaves; it reminded me of the bird's feathers in the inspiration photo, too!

I also die cut a 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inch piece of Soft Stone cardstock using the same stitched border from the Card Front Element Builder II. Once that was done, I used the amazing new Buffalo Check Background Stamp to stamp the pattern. I love the feel that the printed plaid paired with the embossed detail gives the card!

I attached the blue portion over the plaid panel using foam squares. I die cut a white circle using the Zig Zag Stitched Circles SugarCuts and added that using foam squares as well! At this point, I was ready to add the sentiment and the flowers. I stamped the sentiment using the Heartfelt Sympathy stamp set and then attached it to the circle with foam squares. I added the flowers and leaves here and there until I liked the composition! I added some white Nuvo drops here and there and added a trio of sparkling clear sequins for some shine! I know I will be using these die cut leaves and flowers A LOT! LOL! Thanks for fluttering by!

P.S. I hope to see your card in the gallery!