Cards for MFT Card Design Superstar Contest

Hello there!

    I'm sure most of you have seen this logo and are aware of the buzz in blogland. Yes, I decided to take the leap and join in. My initial reaction to this announcement was... How can I compete with so many fabulous crafters and with just a few MFT products? After Susan's midway reminder my reaction was...Hey, I have the guts too. I spread the 11 MFT products I have (1 background stamp, 2 sentiment stamps & 8 die-namics) on my desk, looked at them for a while, came up with several possibilities and finally made these three over the weekend.

CARD #1 Using Radiant Sun Die-namics as a Spirograph Spinner 

    When the radiant sun was released I thought... This would be great for spirograph inspired string art and I was fortunate it was free at the time of my MFT shopping spree. There are several design possibilities with this die. Here's my first card with this die wherein the centre was open to add an embellishment or a sentiment. In the card below it's closed. The only other sentiment choice I had to go along with this design was the one used in CARD #2. But, as it seemed quite festive, I made it a new year's card.

Here's a 5 second video to show the spinner in action.

Supplies used:
Radiant sun die-namics
Bright lights numbers die-namics
Together forever (sentiment)
multicoloured metallic cord
recycled invitation card
gold acrylic paint
watercolour paper
cotton
gold embossing powder 
double sided foam tape
coin
    The spirograph design was created by working the cord from one end to one spoke away from the one exactly opposite and repeating until all the spokes were covered. Next, the splattered background was made using a cotton ball approximately the size of a table tennis ball. It was wetted with water just enough so as to not let it drip and a blob of paint was spread onto it. Holding the cotton ball at a foot's height, it was dropped on the paper to create a large splatter and repeated until the desired effect was achieved. 2017 was positioned on the background, die cut, removed from negative, dabbed with the same cotton ball of paint and positioned back into it's space with bits of tape without letting it show through the holes. The word happy was heat embossed. A circle was cut in the spot where the sun was to be placed and adhered with double sided foam tape and a coin to facilitate spinning. The card was completed by dabbing paint with the cotton ball on the edge of the card base. The background panel wats cut slightly narrower to reveal the soft gold edge and adhered in place with foam tape.  

CARD #2 Using Radiant Sun Die-namics for a Border

    As I was making my first card, I came up with the idea of using the radiant sun as a border by cutting it halfway, then doing string art. I enjoyed myself trying different forms. I must admit it's addicting and these are the designs I came up with.

And here's a card using one of them.

Supplies used:
Radiant sun die-namics
Together forever (sentiment)
ombre embroidery thread 
inks brilliance-platinum planet
        versamagic-pink petunia
ribbon
pearls
    Two die cut suns were cut in half. The notches on either side already cut by the stitched circle, were cut deeper. To achieve this design, the string was worked in the form of an "X", starting from the notch at one end to the opposite side of the centre spoke and outwards until all were covered up. Inorder to have an even sticking base for the ribbon and to reveal more of the string art, a strip of cardstock slightly narrower than the centre of the ribbon was adhered on the imaginary one third of the card. Next, the half suns were  adhered alternatively on either side starting from the bottom to the top leaving space for the bow. The ribbon was adhered on the strip and folded under the white panel. The sentiment was stamped using the MISTI. It was supposed to be first stamped with platinum planet followed by pink petunia to achieve a soft pink. But in the process, the paper shifted a wee bit, resulting in the accidental shadow effect. finally, the panel was adhered on the pink card base and finished off with the bow and pearls.

CARD #3 Using Bright Lights Symbols Die-namics for Scandinavian Style Embroidery

    While purchasing the number die-namics I felt the symbols were quite a waste, either seldom or never to be used. But, I was wrong. The symbols are useful too. See, how in my card below.

Supplies used:

Bright lights numbers & symbols die-namics

Thanks so very much (sentiment)

silk embroidery thread

pearls

watercolours

    The symbols were die cut and assembled as shown above. Then each one was embroidered with simple straight stitches using silk thread. The completed symbols were adhered on a layered panel and embellished with pearls in the center. The panel was then adhered at an angle on the card base, the sentiment added and finished off with a light splatter of paint in red and black.

    Note: The process of assembling the symbols requires a bit of patience, but it's not time consuming as it may seem. The silk thread with delicate fibers did trouble me, but I wanted to use it for its beautiful shine.

    I hope you like my new cards. I apologize for sharing all three in one post and boring you. But I'm down with flu and because my cards were ready, I had to share them. Thanks for understanding. 

    If you are visiting my blog for the first time, do visit my 'GALLERY' where all my makes have been linked up for easy viewing.

Have a wonderful day!

Leanne

*Edited to add... 
I'm feeling better today (23rd Sept) and decided to enter these cards into challenges at...
CARD #1 https://modsquadchallenge.blogspot.com - splat
                http://frillyandfunkie.blogspot.co.uk - going round in circles
CARD #2 http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.co.nz - anything goes
                http://deepoceanchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk - anything goes
CARD #3 http://ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com - dots & dashes
               http://deepoceanchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk - anything goes