Experiments with a New Cover Plate: Stitched

Good afternoon! Hope you are happily stamping or contemplating a new project! I am still enjoying a box of goodies I ordered two months ago and working my way through the contents. I'm experimenting with different looks for the tools and stamps inside so they aren't a single-use-toss-aside-for-the-next-great-thing. Know what I mean? I love shiny newness and all the pretties, but I am trying to maximize my purchases.

I'd been admiring the Cover Plate: Stitched and I have been playing with it although I am by no means done, I thought I'd share some initial projects. I was inspired by the watercolor wash challenge last week on Make it Monday and wondered what the wash would look like applied to the frame around an image. I also wanted to make it more of a true frame, so I cut out the center with scissors to show a panel underneath. The colors can be a bit strong sometimes and wash out what it in the center, but here are two. For the first one, I had an experimental piece left over from a card I made for the last customer blog hop at PTI and I didn't want to waste it. It fit perfectly in the cut out space in this card:

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Gathered Garden, Keep Swimming; Paper: watercolor, gray, assortment of PTI colors (linen, smokey shadow, etc for die cuts); Ink: Ranger distress inks for watercolor wash, PTI for images; Dies: Cover Plate: Stitched, Gathered Garden, button, sequins, embossing powder, pink marker. 

Next, I fit in a blossom and sentiment from a set by Illustrated Faith. This fits the current sketch challenge at Mustard Seed Faith.

Stamps: Illustrated Faith; Paper: watercolor paper, Neenah solar white, PTI aqua mist; Ink: black, Ranger Distress vintage photo; Dies: Cover Plate: Stitched, Papertrey Ink; Other: Ranger distress markers, wink of stella, gingham ribbon, sequins

Then I thought what if I just colored in the leaves and vine that comprise the stitched portion of the design element in the plate? First I came up with this one, which my husband and daughter really like, although to my critical eye, I can tell I need more practice embossing fine-line images. Driving me crazy, but I did it three times and finally used the best one. I also trimmed the outside of the cover plate because I wanted a few more layers to show. This also fits the challenge at Mustard Seed Faith this week:

Stamps: Layers of Color (bible verse), Papertrey Ink Gathered Garden; Ink: Raspberry Fizz, copper; Paper: Vintage Cream, Spring Moss, Berry Sorbet, pink scrap, green scrap; Other: Ranger distress markers, Gathered Garden dies (PTI), watermelon stickles, copper embossing powder

Then I just started playing with possible combinations using my distress markers. I started making notes for myself for various color combinations to keep as a (sloppy) reference guide for the future:

Then I made these...the scenes from the "Hills" series at Papertrey just about fit that space in the middle (Winter Hills, Autumn Hills, etc.) I made two; one for winter and one for fall. In this case I didn't cut out the middle, although you could without losing much of the image, I just layered it on top. 

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Winter Hills; Ink: Smokey Shadow; Paper: Papertrey white linen, watercolor paper; Dies: Papertrey Ink Cover Plate: Stitched; Other: Ranger distress markers, Tsukineko platinum ... something or other (bought it from Stampin' UP years ago), sequins, Wink of Stella

Frustrating thing, I know I own Autumn Hills, but I think it is at another location (our old house, in a box in the attic) so I will have to figure out a different image for the center. I just like the fall colors; it is my favorite season:  

 And lastly, I did use a wink of stella on the leaves and the hills in the winter card that don't show up on the larger photo, but here it is. Bought the pen a while ago and used it for the first time on this card series and when they say "wink" they really mean it, very subtle and understated.

Thanks for looking at my "experiments." Next I want to cut out the plate in colors, but I have a lot more difficulty with color play with cardstock, so that might take a while. Happy stamping!