Bubblegum Inspiration

Bubblegum inspiration may be somewhat of a stretch for this post title.  It refers to the color in this wrapping paper I found tucked in my stash of collectibles.  How often do you find the color pink used during the Christmas holiday?

Not sure where the paper came from.  I believe it's left over from a gift I received, really I can't remember.  I collect so much stuff; honestly, it's possible I'm part squirrel.  How ironic that squirrels are my LEAST loved four legged creatures??

The colors in this gift wrap were very appealing, as well as the artwork.  So folk-artsy.  The stitiching around the squares, the quiliting pattern.  All around, something wonderful to use for inspiration, which is exactly what you'll see below.

Here is a card I completed using part of the pattern from the paper.

Here is the card with the section of the paper used for reference.  What do you think?

The stitching was all by hand.  I've been wanting to 'stitch' something.  How odd is that, the NEED to stitch? 

Several products and techniques were used to create the shading; inks, watercolor pencils, chalks; whatever I had on hand was put into play (more experimental than anything).  Just playing.

The star images and tree used were Stampin Up! sets.  The white stripes on the Regal Rose card stock is a white gel pen.  Brown sewing thread was used, due to the fact I didn't have a single brown embroidery thread in my floss basket.  Well, not the brown I wanted.  So, the alternative was to use regular brown thread, four layers of it to achieve the thickness.  Somehow the card just doesn't have the write 'feel' to me knowing that I couldn't use floss like I wanted.

Guess this calls for a road trip to tomorrow to pick up some floss in the dark brown; which surely will come in useful for future hand-stitched projects.

Toodles.

Melanie