Saturday, August 13, 2011

Mark's Finest Papers 68 - Distressed Wisteria

I have a neighbor who is growing a wisteria vine.  It is located on the side of his house, very close to my dining room windows.  I would be delighted if it were dripping with flowers like this:

Photo courtesy of mommysmidwestmountain.blogspot.com
But, no, there hasn't been a single bloom on it in the four or five years it has been growing.  (insert sad face here)

Faith Hofrichter of Mark's Finest Papers drew us a lovely wisteria set, though, called Butterflies and Wisteria.  I was tickled pink purple to use it!


Our challenge this week at Mark's Finest Papers is to Distress Your Edges!  That can mean a lot of things.  You can use a fingernail to distress edges of paper (if you don't own a distressing tool, which I don't); the pattern of a paper might have a distressed, aged look; and distressing edges with ink is also an option. 

For the edges of my wisteria oval die cut and punched lace border, I used Distress Inks by Ranger. 


On the edges of the card base and the cocoa panel, I took out my handy (get it?) fingernail tool.  Ha ha.  I used the Damask embossing folder by Sizzix / Tim Holtz on the card base and shabbed up the outer edges with Distress Inks.  Even the twine has a rough, distressed texture to it.  


Sometimes I make two of a card, so I can keep one and give the other away.  Here's the other one I made, using a cocoa polka dotted ribbon:

My 13 YO likes this version better, and I think I do too. 
Which one do you prefer?

(By the way, have you checked out my daughter's new blog yet?  It's called Glossip Girl, and it's dedicated - mostly - to her love of Philosophy products.)

If you'd like to check out what the rest of the design team has distressed for your viewing pleasure, head over to Mark's Finest Papers.  Don't forget - if you play, you have a chance to win a stamp set!

Colleen

Stamps:  Butterflies and Wisteria - MFP
Paper:  Pale Plum, Close to Cocoa - Stampin' Up!; Vintage Cream - PTI
Ink:  Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap - Distress Inks by Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Close to Cocoa - SU
Punch:  Doily Lace double edge - Martha Stewart
Other:  Big Shot; Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder - SU; Damask embossing folder - Sizzix; twine; cocoa ribbon - Michael's; pearls - Recollections; Scalloped Oval dies - Spellbinders; dimensionals; sponge; Copic markers

29 comments:

Lori said...

Gosh Colleen, I don't know, I think they are BOTH beautiful!!!

Holly AKA KopyKat said...

they are both beautiful, love the wisteria image and the colors you used.

Stacey G.-2 Craf-t-4u said...

Beautiful Colleen! The embossing is a pretty touch too! They are both great, but I am favoring the polka dotted ribbon. I Love wisteria and of course purple too! When I lived up North I so wanted a wisteria bush, but they are difficult to grow in the North. Could be why he is having trouble with the blooms. But in the south, they grow wild. Everyone around me rips them out, while I bring them to our home on purpose!

Vicki Dutcher said...

Gorgeous creations! I also like the last one -- that subtle pink just makes the image pop!

~Tammy~ said...

They both are gorgeous! I am a sucker for polka dots, so the ribbon wins my heart, but they are both winners in my book!

Janny's Cards Creations said...

Gorgeous creations. I like them.
Janny

Andrea Ewen said...

Oh, I love wisteria...my grandmother used to have a huge trellis of it where she lived in North Jersey and I used to love to walk under it when it was in full bloom. Actually you HAD to walk under it as it was right in front of the entrance to her house! Love what you've done with the stamp, it's colored to perfection and your edges are beautifully distressed! That's some 'handy' tool you've got there, you resourceful lady you!

Linda Breedlove said...

Hey Colleen, I like the first card the best... love all the twine wrapped around it. But the second has a bit more elegance... hummmmm ... now I'm not sure. I love that cocoa ribbon. They're both winners!!!
Have a great Saturday!

Kay said...

Love them both, but the twine gets my vote! Don't give up on your neighbor's wisteria. I was told it takes five years to start blooming. I live in central Jersey, and my son's neighbor was adding on to his house and had to get rid of a wisteria. DH had just built a pergola over our patio, and we wanted vines for the outside corner posts. They dug it up with a back hoe and delivered it to our back yard! It was so big, we split it into two plants. It died back drastically the first year, but came back strong, and we had our first few blooms this summer, the fifth year, I believe.

For me, this all started with a beautiful painting I saw at Peddlers Village in PA one summer. A wisteria was in full bloom over a wicker tea table on a patio. Couldn't afford the painting, but the image never left me.

Harriet Skelly said...

I love both of these cards - awesome distressing and coloring!

Bev J. said...

Beautiful cards and image. I like the polka dotted ribbon card best I think.

I have heard it takes a long time for wisteria to bloom-they are beautiful when they do.

Linda Callahan said...

They are both lovely! Wisteria is beautiful - both in your images and in real life! And I do love those beautiful ladies on Wisteria Lane as well :)

Marisa said...

Lovely image and wonderfully coloured and distressed, Colleen. I vote for the second card.

Unknown said...

What a beautiful card.. I just love how you embossed your paper.. Looks lovely..

Jacqueline said...

Beautiful! I love Wisteria - I saw the thumbnail on Linda's blog and popped over.

redwasher1 said...

WOW fabulous photo's and what could be more beautiful? Your card!!!!

Savannah O'Gwynn said...

OHHH! I just love both of these--I do love the twine more! I'm a twine gal:) LOVE the embossing and distressing! GORGEOUS:) LOOOOOVE it!

Janeen said...

oh Colleen, how beautiful is that Wisteria tree? I do hope the one you look at will come around. Love your design and voting for the second one though the first one is lovely also.

Stella said...

Both cards turned out gorgeous but the first one is definitely my favorite. The twine is such a wonderful addition to the card and goes so well with the soft colors of your beautiful colored wisteria and the soft colors of your papers.
Love the embossing too; you create pure beauty did you know that?

Have a great weekend!
XX

Anonymous said...

My goodness , did your card catch my attention Both of them are lovely bit as far as distressing goes, I think the one with the twine is def my favorite.

Payne Holler Cards said...

they are both gorgeous - but guess i would chose the twine - more nature-y with the wisteria...
those pictures are so inspirational!!!

Benzi said...

Beautiful cards, Colleen. I love the ribbon on the second one because I am all about dots. I do love wisteria and it grows beautifully here in the south.

Carol Hurlock said...

Wow, this is beautiful Colleen. It has a warm vintage flair to it with the embossing and distressed edges. So wonderfully done.

Winnie and Patty said...

Colleen--both of these cards are beautiful, and I can't choose!!! You did a fantastic job with the challenge! TFS

ladyjanet_56 said...

Look at your beautiful purple Wisteria & your card is beutiful too. Janet T

Jinny Newlin said...

LOVE them both! What gorgeous, inspiration pics, too! That's too bad about your neighbor's vines! Such a beautiful plant!

Marlena M. said...

Your daughter set up a wonderful site. ;)

I love the colors and textures in your card! I really love the distressing and minimal embellishments that pack a punch. ;)

Erum Tasneem said...

Another beauty! both cards look beautiful, but the ribbon on the second one really makes the card pop!

Emily Keaton said...

Both of these are beautiful, Colleen! Your distressing looks awesome. I'll keep my fingers crossed for your neighbor's wisteria--for your sake!

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