Swap Breakdown Day 7- Any Occasion Card

The challenge of this swap was that you had to use Basic Black, and then you could only use one other color and it had to be from the 2013-2015 In Color Collection. You could also use a neutral color such as Very Vanilla or Whisper White if necessary.

It sounds easy enough, and I had a pretty good idea what I wanted to do. However, as I was designing I kept thinking of elements to add, and then had to stop myself because it was adding other colors to the card!

Supply list can be found here

I sat down with my Basic Black and all of the In Colors to decide which one looked the best with BB. The Baked Brown Sugar was my favorite. Instantly, I thought "manly, nature, outdoorsy;" and grabbed my Woodgrain Embossing Folder.

I had seen an idea online a few weeks earlier where they had taken an ink pad and covered the raised side of the embossing folder before running the cardstock through the Big Shot. I had done a reverse of this with Versamark to emboss a few years ago, but had never thought of doing it with ink. I was pleased with the outcome and think it made my tree come to life. No two trees have the same bark pattern, and mine didn't either.

I wanted to give some texture to the leaves, but with not being able to use another color, I was at a loss; for a brief moment. I grabbed my Crystal Effects and started covering one of the leaves. I loved the pop and contrast it gave against the stamped leaves.

The last special technique I did for this card was on the Baker's Twine. We don't carry it in Black or Baked Brown Sugar, and I didn't want to use white; and obviously couldn't use the other colors. So I grabbed my reinker and some rubbing alcohol; mixed them in the Stampin' Spritzer and headed out to the front porch. I love how quickly you can transform any of our lighter colored ribbon into any of our colors to match your project!

Oh, and you might have noticed on the Supplies post that I listed Washi Tape as part of this card. When I was wrapping the Baker's Twine around the top layer, I looked around my table and there was the Washi. I grabbed a little piece to stick down the first end. It didn't take much washi, and since it's removeable; if I didn't like where I'd placed it, I could start over! 

This was my second favorite card that I made for the swap. I struggle with designing masculine cards, so I'm happy to have one to use now; and it's inspired me that I can, in fact, design more.
Hope it inspired you as well!