Soft Shabby Chic Birthday Card - Mixing Textures & Embellishments -

Adding various textures and embellishments is an essential part of a shabby chic design. All the different elements contribute to the dimension of the card and there is almost no limit as too how much you can add to it. Today I'm sharing a birthday card and a few tips and tricks I follow when creating a mixed media card like this.

Main Supplies
Die Cuts - Spellbinders: Elegant Ovals, Classic Ovals Small, A2 Scalloped Borders One, A2 Valiant Honor / Our Daily Bread Designs: Angel Wings, Fancy Foliage
Stamps - Graciellie Design: Sending Blessings Digital Stamp Set
Paper - Our Daily Bread Designs: Shabby Rose Collection
Ranger: Dried Marigold re-inker, Mini Mister, Blending Tool, Old Paper Distress Ink, Spun Sugar Distress Ink, Idea-ology Crinkle Ribbon
Dreamweaver Pearlescent Embossing Paste
SU Rhinestones
Miscelaneous - Resin heart, wood bird embellishment, pearl flower stamens, 2" white lace, 6/8" iridiscent lace, tulle, white acrylic paint, brush, Leather textured cardstock in white and beige.

Tips on creating Shabby Chic projects:

1. Embossing - Texture or embossing paste looks great on a background, and one great tip is you can DIY your own texture paste using baby powder, white glue and white acrylic paint.

2. Stenciling - As for stencils, you can find affordable stencils everywhere. On this card I actually used a very inexpensive stencil I found on a hardware store. 

3. Distress - Another technique you can try out to add texture is to tear, fold or roll your front card layer just as I did here around the edges, and I even tucked a piece of lace underneath.
4. Ribbons & Lace - Add a lot of crinkle ribbon, lace, tulle, gauze or other similar textures, which will give the design the shabby chic look you're looking for.
5. Embellishments - These are important too, from pearls to wood elements, flower stamens, rhinestones, buttons, die cuts and even resin or clay pieces, almost anything goes with layered shabby chic cards. I learned to make my own resin and clay embellishments using homemade molds. You can try out making your own molds using pieces you already have at home and Easy Mold Silicon Putty. You don't neccesarily need to make the embellishments out of resin, you can also make them from Air Dry Clay which is faster and easier!
6. Splashes of paint and ink - From sprayed cardstock to droplets of ink, this gives the card the final aged look and it also adds depth to the design. You can create your own ink spray by mixing a bit of re-inker with water. You can also use inexpensive white acrylic paint to add a white patina effect to the embellishments (just like I did with the pink resin heart).

I hope today's card and post are helpful to you. Remember each of our creative journeys is different, so don't feel pressure on using elaborate and/or expensive elements on your cards. Look for things you already have in your stash and play with them to layer your projects!

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Thanks for stopping by.

Sharing with: SSS Monday Challenge - Spritz and Spray / Mod Squad Challenge - Hearts and Flowers / Craft-Dee Bowz - February Challenge / Frilly and Funkie - Enjoy your Embossing / Double D Challenges - Pretty Pink Hearts / SSS Wednesday Challenge - Have a Heart / Great Impressions - Let's Celebrate / Pile it On - Homemade Embellishments / Card n Scrap - Sketch /