Oval Garden for the Adventurer
By Melanie Smith, Artistic Guide

I have new stamps and a new Cuttlebug and wanted to use them both to make a card.  This is the result, a simple clean card for a friend in the process of making life changes.
I used simple masking through a template (cuttlebug shape) with sponging to add colour.

Finished card size: 4.25 x 5.25
(All measurements are width x height)

Supplies:
Stamps:
Wildflowers – (Darkroom door)
Cardstock:
8.5" x 11" White plain cardstock – cut into 8.5" x 5.5", 1 folded in half and  2 pieces cut to 4.25" x 5.5"
Scrap paper, 4.5" x 5.5" for mask
Inks:
Distress Ink pad, Shabby Shutters (Ranger)
Adirondack ink pads, Lettuce and Butterscotch (Ranger)
Staz-On ink pad, Olive Green and Royal Purple (Tsukineko)
Other elements:
Cuttlebug Die Cut Machine (Provo Craft)
Cuttlebug Die- Disney oval frame (Provo Craft)
Sponge daubers (Tsukineko)

Directions:

1. Use the Cuttlebug machine and die to cut an oval from the centre of the scrap paper.
2. Attach the scrap paper lightly to the 4.25" x 5.5" cardstock, making sure that the oval is straight.
3. Sponge Shabby Shutters ink from the outside towards the inside of the unmasked area.  Add Lettuce ink over the top for a little depth.
4. Leave the mask in place and stamp the medium Wildflower stem with Olive ink on the lower left and mid-right of the oval. 



5. Stamp the Tiny Flowers three times along the bottom of the oval, varying the heights slightly.
6. Stamp Tiny Flowers two more times with a second-generation image above the first Tiny Flowers. (See note below).
7. Remove the mask.
8. Trim the card to 4" x 5.25", keeping the oval in the centre.
9. Stamp the If Nothing… saying onto the bottom right of the card.



10. On the last piece of cardstock, stamp the Monarch Butterfly with Purple Staz-On ink.
11. Sponge Butterscotch ink onto the Butterfly (slightly darker towards the centre) and trim around the edges.  Sponge the back of the Butterfly, too.
12. Sponge Butterscotch ink around the outside of the cardstock and attach to the folded white card.
13. Attach the Butterfly on one wing and allow the other to have a slight 3-D effect.

Note: Second generation image is achieved by inking the stamp and stamping once onto scrap paper, then again onto the actual card without reinking the stamp.