Branching Out with Melanie

One of the really wonderful things about this hobby is the joy of making connections with people.  You meet people creating that are around the world, and yet you know if you'd be together in person, you'd be friends.  I was blessed to work with Melanie Muenchinger recently at CardMaker Magazine Blog and she's just one of those lovely people.  Melanie invited me to play a little with one of her sets - Branching Out which is part of her new book focus Fabulous Stamped Frames.  I'm happy to show off some new ideas for you.  

This set incorporates a number of framing elements that can be mixed together, or used with some of the smaller elements in the set too.  I had a lot of fun looking at the pieces in a different way. 

One of the frames in the set is a square box.  I decided it would be fun to create a boxed wreath for Christmas with the smaller leafed elements in the set and the outlined box.  

I began by stamping the square frame in a dark green Memento Ink and then adding numerous inked leaves onto the box to form a wreath in 3 different Memento greens (Bamboo Leaves, Olive Grove, Northern Pine).  Stamp until you feel like you have a full enough wreath to your liking.  Then I added the small berries from the set in Memento Lady Bug ink.  Then I trimmed out the wreath and centre carefully with my scissors, popping it up on the rich green card stock and adding some rhinestones as extra berry glitz.   A silk ribbon makes it hang, as if it was from a door, and a pretty sentiment (from Melanie's set Stately Flowers 5) makes it festive.  

Isn't it neat that you can make the frame into a wreath?  

Now for something a bit cooler...

I wanted to create the feel of a moon-lit night with the circular frame from the set, so I embossed it in white and punched out a little 1/2 inch circle from Eclipse Masking tape.   Then I sponged some gorgeous Memento Paris Dusk ink around the design and the mask, leaving a hint of light around the moon for it's glow.  I added the pretty black bird popped up on the vine giving him a wee bit of white gel pen for a highlight on the moon side.  I've embossed vines on the deep purple cardstock as well as the sentiment.  

I always think its the coolest when you take off a masked element to a design and see something like a crisp and pretty moon behind it.  

Now for the last creation today, 

An easel design that shows off how to add accent with embossing and Copic markers.  I embossed the oval frame from the set with white and added some pretty flowers to the vines.  Then after the embossing was cooled I added some light outlines with my BG57 Copic Marker, which is just deeper than the tones of the cardstock.  It gives the white a real pop on the design.  You just have to be careful not to touch your Copic nib to the embossing or it will clog it, but the effect is really great.  

I also stamped the leaf elements from the set onto the designer paper to really tie everything together.  The sentiment is from Melanie's set A year of flowers.  So pretty don't you think?  

Be sure to pop by Melanie's blog to see this great set she's showing off and tell her I sent you!  Thanks Mel for a fun round of creating with your wonderful designs!  

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Branching Out with Melanie