Mixing it up

Whilst we favour certain techniques, a monthly card challenge is a great way of having to try new things and stretch your abilities.   The more you do, the more proficient you become and when you start to mix it up, it works!   (I plainly recall it didn't always work!!)   If anything I think my girls are better at it than me as they have little in the way of preconceptions and just do what they want to do, or what looks right to them to do.  

Here are a couple of cards I made recently that combine things like punched shapes, stamping, patterned papers and embellishments - that go together without becoming too busy :)

Combining a stamped script section (I masked off the rest of the card) that you could also do with patterned paper, a gold organza ribbon to separate the sections, some little xo stamps and punched shapes.  The circle actually has a heart punched out and a piece of red scrap is taped behind it showing through.

Punched edges and shape, patterned paper, ribbon, stamping, embellishment and layering.  

Lots of layering, some stamping, embellishments and pretty paper.