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Embellishment Central
by Flo HollingsworthStamping Deck Crewmember
Welcome aboard S.S. Reflections and to our lovely port of call, Denmark. Denmark has a long and rich history in art and literature and is well known as the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, the author of such tales as “The Princess and The Pea,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Thumbelina.”
My samples this month focus on the use of embellishments in card-making and are loosely based on the three tales above. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word embellish as “to add ornamental details to.” There is literally a plethora of embellishment products on the market, available through chain craft stores, independent stamping and scrap booking retailers and online. They run the gamut from tags and word stickers to fibers, ribbons and charms. A little chipboard house even makes an appearance in this month’s samples.
My rule of thumb in using embellishments on my card art is “less is more.” I find this minimalist approach adds an elegant touch to my grungy, eclectic style of stamping. I can add a tag or charm that perfectly enhances the stamped and layered focal and background images, lending that finishing touch that brings the whole piece together.
This first sample is loosely based on “The Princess and The Pea” with the stippled image of the girl representing a sleeping princess. This focal image is enhanced by the beribboned, metal-edged tag and word sticker. Grunginess is added by inking all edges and stamping swirls on the background paper.
Thumbelina is another one of my favorite Andersen tales, and this card depicts the little (no bigger than a thumb) girl’s adventures and the birds who befriend her. The birdhouse is a chipboard form, coated with gesso and acrylic paint and embellished with gold scrap and an altered paper flower.
I think the best-known Andersen tale is “The Little Mermaid,” helped along by Walt Disney with the famous animated feature of the same name. My ode to the story uses tags, gold scrap, fibers, written scraps and mother-of-pearl charms as embellishments.
Choosing a theme and tying all your embellishments to it is a great way to exercise your creativity. Incorporating the elements into the piece as a whole, rather than as last-minute add-ons, will result in the cohesiveness that really makes a card “work.” Give it a try!
Artful blessings,
Flo Hollingsworth
flohollingsworth @ssreflections.com
Stamping Deck Crewmember
Reflections Publishing Group
http://artisticexpressionsbyflo.blogspot.com/
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