A celebration card with bling!

I've had bling on my mind for a few days now...  and no - my husband hasn't been begging me to accept diamonds as a token of his esteem! This is all about the relatively new CAS-ual challenge which is asking for clean and simple cards with bling. Before we go on, I just want to say that this challenge has given me more trouble than I would ever have imagined, and the final card bears no resemblance at all to the one I'd envisaged, but I think it turned out okay in the end! Come and see:

I wanted to use the 'sprinkling Dazzling Diamonds onto Sticky Strip' technique and (somehow!) ended up with this glitzy frame which I then embellished with self adhesive rhinestones. Now, bling and I have a cautious relationship - I'm happy with it in small quantities - so this was WAY outside my comfort zone! I felt I had to be very careful what something so attention grabbing would be framing!

After trying and discarding lots of ideas, I ended up going with this raised panel, stamped with a subtle leaf design then topped it with a group of tightly packed  rolled roses. Phew! Crisis over! There wasn't room for a sentiment on the card but I thought it would be fine inside... I do think the card would be good for weddings, anniversaries, engagements and other celebrations.

Here's how to make this card:

• Cut a 21cm x 10.5cm piece of Whisper White card stock. Score and fold it in half to make a card base.
• Using post-it notes, mask off 1cm round the outside of the card front. Carefully place Sticky Strip just inside the mask, making sure you keep the corners neat. You will end up with a frame.
• Take the backing off the Sticky Strip and sprinkle Dazzling Diamonds glitter onto the frame. Pour the excess back into the pot. Decorate the glittery frame with self-adhesive rhinestones.
• Cut an 8.75cm square piece of Whisper White card stock. Stamp with a leaf design - I used one of my favourite sets, Autumn Splendor. Use Always Artichoke ink and stamp several times without re-inking to get lots of tonal shades. Finally sponge the edges of the card stock with the ink and attach to the centre of the frame using dimensionals. It should slightly overlap the frame.
• Cut nine circles using the 1 3/4" circle punch and make rolled roses from them. Place them close together in a square on the card front using glue dots.

Supplies
Stamps: Autumn Splendor
Ink: Always Artichoke

Card stock: Whisper White, Riding Hood Red
Other: 1 3/4" circle punch, Dazzling Diamonds, Basic Rhinestones.

Do you ever get days when everything you create seems to go wrong? I've spent whole mornings getting more and more hot under the collar until I finally end up with something that looks as if I rescued it from the rubbish tip! On those days, boxes of ribbon tip over sending the ribbon reels shooting off in all directions, unravelling as they go; ink pads fall onto pristine pieces of finished work; glue stubbornly refuses to come out of its nozzle until I give up and then it suddenly decides to come out in a large splat... Does any of this sound familiar? I hope you get a calm and successful crafting session today!

I have another rose-inspired card to share with you tomorrow, so do pop back then if you have a minute. Thanks for looking today.