A card of two halves

I started this card a couple or three months ago. The pack of card blanks I had bought because I liked the shape and size (about 8"square!) turned out to be made from a really glossy cardstock, which I wasn't expecting.

So I decided they would probably take distress ink quite well and I did the edges of the blank in various blues and greens, stamped with a speckly stamp in a dark blue and then a little bubbly swirl in brown. Then I put the inverted corner mat in the middle........ and then I was stuck! I tried a die cut frame but it just looked wrong, so I ripped that off and the card sat in a basket for several weeks.

Last weekend was the May craft weekend, and the plan was for me and Sy to use up a lot of scraps by turning them into die cuts. Suddenly I had inspiration for the card! I put a pale turquoise mat over the dark base, stamped a strip of the same paper and attached that, then die cut two motifs from the Parisian nestie set. I overstamped two flowers (shudder!) and put those on, then cut a nestie ribbon banner, which I have left blank for an appropriate sentiment to be added when used. A few gems for the centre of the flowers and the sides of the strip and it was ....done.... or was it?

I looked at it when I got home from the crop on Sunday and decided it needed something else. Sy had brough some Sizzix flourish dies with her and I had cut out some in a few colours. Luckily one of those colours was the same as the one used on the card so I added the flourish , tucking it in just underneath the flowers.

Now it's finished.......... :-) And I have had to order those flourish dies for myself, I like them so much!