Spotlight Flower

This one is part of a practice series, following the demos of Tracy Evans, one of the brilliant designers for AALL & Create, during the shows she did on Hochanda for her One Day Special, back in August. It has taken me a while to get around to it, but I've been compiling step-by-steps so I wouldn't forget anything.

For this card, I used Tracy's Spotlight technique. You'd think that at some point in my 17 years of cardmaking, I might have made a moon background at some stage, but no.. this was my first time... and so easy! I'm delighted! I'm also pleased with the layers of stencilling, the flower... and the very pretty coloured circle that's been left behind. That will come in handy for something else, I'm sure.

Anyway, here's the run down on what I used:

1. I started with a background I already had.. just a touch of blue glitter from cleaning my palette knife after using Cosmic Shimmer Ultra Sparkle Paste in Periwinkle on a previous project.
2. Over that, I used my AALL & Create 'Lotza Dotz' stencil #39 with Distress Oxide ink in Faded Jeans.
3. I edged the card with the same ink.
4. Then I die-cut a circle and following Tracy's advice, blending the Faded Jeans ink outward from the middle of the circle.
5. Next, I spread That's Crafty! Light Texture Paste through the 'Lotza Dotz' stencil.
6. I stamped one of the cone flowers from Tracy's 'Eclectic Stems' stamp #199 onto the card, and then three more images of the flower head onto spare card with Black Onyx Versafine ink, heat embossing the last one with clear embossing powder. I painted them with spritzed Distress Oxide in Picked Raspberry. I also coloured the leaf in green, but it's barely noticeable. The leaf and the final flower layer are also covered with Glossy Accents, and a touch of light blue Stickles on the centre of the flower. All the layers are decoupaged, without adding extra dimension by way of foam pads, etc, but allowing the petals to be unattached, which gives some dimension anyway.
7. The sentiment is also from the 'Eclectic Stems' stamp set, also edged with Faded Jeans ink.
8. I wanted to balance the pink, so I used Abs' (Autour De Mwa) stencil #6, which has paint splashes and other random effects on it, and Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide so there would be some pattern peeking out from underneath, and I added a few pink sequins.