I made a Mother’s Day card for both the Arty Girlz challenge of 3-D and the Layers of Color challenge of Embossing.

I’m fortunate to have my wonderful in-laws live with us. My mother-in-law is a very special person. It’s not unusual to hear her singing hymns or laughing out loud in the other room. She’s the best nurse, a really fun grandma, a special friend, a great wife, and an excellent mother. Her heart is big, and especially soft for young mothers, children and babies. She’s nurtured and taught hundreds through classes she teaches and raised dozens of foster children. She’s wife of a retired Naval Lt. Commander who’s beautiful style of mothering has created two sons that have grown up to be exceptional men, fathers and husbands. I’ve been blessed beyond measure to have married one, and to be a member of this family!

She loves flowers, gardens and Victorian novels so I created a card for her with these things in mind. I chose old world looking stamps, Layers of Color Fleur Heart and Architectural Blocks. One of her favorite colors is purple, so I washed the background with purple watercolor then embossed it entirely with old gold. The heart is stamped then embossed with a stylus, rubbed with ink and chalk, and cut out with decorative scissors. I molded it slightly with my fingers into 3-D and stitched it to the background then filled it with purple and white flowers. I know she’ll see and appreciate the love I’ve expressed towards her in this card.

I’ve got it! I have discovered another unique technique.

I found a use for the mesh bags that lemons or oranges usually come in at the market. Here’s what you can do: use the mesh as a stencil. On the card I made, I used a metallic copper paint on polka-dot paper and Layers of Color Fleur Heart stamp. I also used black tulle as a ribbon on the bottom and top to give the painted texture a more 3D appearance. Then, I used black sewing thread to add even more visual texture.

I’m excited about how it turned out and I now keep my eyes open for anything that can be recycled as a stencil, like the mesh fruit bag. Think about it: you can eat healthy, recycle, and try a new craft technique with one bag of oranges! If that’s not being “Green,” I don’t know what is.