Simple and Elegant

This card is very easy to make and still looks elegant.  Your friends won't believe that you made the card or how easy it was.

Here are the items needed for the card.  All of these items except for the mask can be purchased from the Stampin' Up! catalogue.  I made the mask from a sheet of acetate (which can be purchased from the catalogue), just cutting an oval with a razor blade.

Stamp Set:  Lovely as a Tree
Cardstock:  Midnight Muse {5 1/2 inch x 4 1/4 inch folded in half}, Whisper White {5 1/4 inch x 4 inch}
Ink:  Gumball Green, Bashful Blue
Stampin' Write Marker:  Chocolate Chip
Adhesive:  2-Way Glue, SNAIL
Glitter:  Dazzling Diamonds
Oval mask
Sponge Dauber
Stippling Brush

First, you want to place  your mask on the card stock so that the open oval space is in the center of your paper.  A helpful hint on keeping the mask in place is to use removable adhesive.  If you use adhesive, just use the eraser to get the excess of the paper.

Ink the stamp with Gumball Green and stamp the center of the oval.

Use the fine tip of the Stampin' Write Chocolate Chip marker to color in the trunks and limbs on the trees.

Use the sponge dauber and rub it in the Midnight Muse ink and then sponge the blue on the paper above the trees.  Make sure the oval mask is still in place. Lift the mask when finished.

Now comes the fun.  Use the 2-Way glue as a pen and go over the hills and place dots in the sky.  Sprinkle glitter all over the paper and then tip the excess off.  A helpful hint with applying glitter is to use a tiny spoon, like the ones you get from tasting samples at the grocery store.  I got my little spoons from going to a chili cookoff.  A stippling brush helps with getting the clumps off the paper.

I'll share a quick story.  The first time I demonstrated this card, it was for a class assignment.  I was taking Instructor Development Course provided by the Coast Guard.  The assignment was to teach a performance based skill.  Everyone in the group enjoyed making the cards and the guys used more glitter than the ladies.