Vintage Valentine

After a couple of weeks of quite subtle Christmas cards, I had fun with a more grungy, mixed media style card for Valentine's. This is for hubby, and I'll submit it to the Berkhamsted Creative Challenge, where the month's theme is "Love".

Hubby bought me a heart stamp and die set from The Works a while ago, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to try them out. I stamped onto kraft card in archival black, then cut out with the die.

I'm not a big one for hearts, but these are quite funky, and not too soppy.

I stamped the words "i love you" in the big heart, using an alphabet set from Berkhamsted Arts and Crafts, then as it was off centre stamped a flower from the heart set in the gap. I used another stamp from the heart set in the small heart.

I blended worn lipstick distress ink round the edges, and used the same colour distress marker on the letters to make then stand out a little.

For the background, I started with a large music stamp I've had for ages. I stamped onto white Clarity stencil card in black archival, then cut to size for a 5x7 card blank. As the stamp was shorter than the trimmed card, I extended it by lining up and stamping again top and bottom.

Then the fun bit, ageing and funking up this base. I got a bit carried away and didn't take any progress photos!

I started by brushing antique linen distress ink over the whole sheet, then vintage photos around the edges. I then used a set of Sheena Douglas distress stamps to add texture around the edge, and fill the gaps beside the music. I've had these stamps for ages, I just love them, but have only just started to really use them. The "barrier" of cutting them out of the rubber sheet and spraying the back with repositionable glue proved too much! So lazy really! Hopefully now I've cut them I'll be using them more.

I also used a set with clocks and cogs - I'm not sure where this came from, possibly Berkhamsted Arts and Crafts as well. I used vintage photo, first and second generation.

I also ran the ink pad around the edge to define it.

Time to plan how to put the parts together. Firstly I stamped and die cut two more small hearts, stamped in the centre and edged in the pink.

I wanted to wrap ribbon or twine around the background, but they all looked too bulky. So I used sewing thread instead, two different browns, wrapped several times. It's much more subtle, but does give a vertical axis.

I also added more stamping on the right, for balance, with some in second generation worn lipstick, to lift the colour.

To mount, I cut a piece of kraft card to size, and blended worn lipstick around the edge, then ran the ink pad round the edge. The pink over the brown of the card gives a lovely shade.

I attached the layers with a tape pen, then used 3D glue for the hearts to lift them and so the threads weren't flattened too much.

I also made an insert to match, with the same three stamp sets. The sentiment says "be my valentine". I used tattered rose ink instead of worn lipstick, to give a more subtle look on the white.

I also decorated the envelope in the same way, although didn't get a non-blurry photo of that. It's so much fun building up the pattern, there's no pressure as you can go over the top and fill any gaps.

I'm really happy with the outcome. I like the blend of colours, a pink that isn't too pink, and the overall shabby vintage feel.