I saw this card several days ago, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it:

I liked everything about the layout. I liked the burgundy paper at the bottom of the card, and more specifically, I liked the large plaid pattern, the edging, and the contrast it gave to the white background. I also really liked the wooden star–it’s so tiny, and yet it makes a huge impact on this card.

I couldn’t wait to try this layout today, and while I don’t have any wooden stars, I do have some wooden leaves, so that set the theme for my card. I chose my color scheme, gathered my papers and ink, and let the creativity begin.

I started with a Very Vanilla card base, and then I cut the patterned paper for the bottom and added the wooden leaf. I laid out different leaf dies until I found the right size and set the die on the card for placement.

Next I stamped the leaf that coordinates with this die, and quickly watercolored the design centers. I cut the leaf shape out with the die, and also stamped the sentiment in the upper right corner.

The card was really beginning to come together, but I needed to fill in some of the white space around the leaf. I ended up stamping some paint splatters behind it, and, while that certainly helped, I still felt like the card needed something more.

I tried using all kinds of things behind the leaf–linen thread, vintage lace, part of a doily–and I also tried a gold button on the stem. Nothing was working for me; all of the above options either looked too heavy or looked odd and out of place. I then tried bunching up some fine gold thread, and that was it–that’s what this card needed!

The gold thread added the extra visual interest I was looking for without being heavy, and the messy bunch gave the impression of movement, like a gusty wind. I attached the leaf over the thread with dimensionals, and here is the finished card:

I’m quite pleased with how this card turned out, and I owe it all to threads of gold. Have a wonderful weekend, and, as always, remember:

“May the waves kiss your feet, / the sand be your seat, / and your friends out number the stars.”

-C-