Floral Tea

 Floral Tea. . .just a hint of floral added to Starbucks Awake tea. This weeks card is made with the Cottage Cutz Teacup Mouse die. I used a wide border punch to create a lattice and added a few flowers from the teacup die. I used pink card stock for the teacup because it showed the flowers off the best. The flowers were done in pale blues, teals and shades of pink.

 The mouse looks so cute hanging over the edge of the teacup. I added a little teabag dangling in his hand. Most of the coloring is done in ink pads with a sponge, but the teabag looked better in three shades of Copic markers. They seemed to give a better tea stained effect.

 To show you a little of how I colored the card stock. . the three leaves above are in stages (it may be hard to see). I lightly color the side of the first leaf in Copic Leaf Green, than sponge (highlight) the bottom part of the leaf in Memento Bamboo Ink. This gives you several shades of color tones, depending on where and what colors overlapped. Lastly on the third leaf I added the gold shimmer from a Sakura Pen in a few random area's. Each leaf looks slightly different. The other note here is that I colored the leaves while they were not punched out. If you pick the paper off the die machine gently after cutting, the design pieces will stay in tact. This allows me to work the color to where I want it.  . . because the large part of the paper is holding my leaves. I do not have to worry about holding that tiny leaf (in my case with fat fingers) or over coloring the leaves after they have been glued down. I have greater control over where the color is and also the direction of the color.

 I also did a matching teabag tie on. The base paper is 2" x 5 3/4", with score lines at 2 1/2", 3" and 5 1/2". Cut a 1 3/8" square window on one side and clip the top two corners. The Cottage Cutz Mouse die head fits perfect on the corner of the window. . . .with his little hand hanging over. Make a mini hole protector with a 1/8" and 1/4" hole punch. Add a string to the top of the teabag (I used the heavy twisted thread that comes like embroidery floss, but teenagers use it to make friendship bracelets. It comes in a mixed bag of colors, has a nice rope texture). Slip a starbucks teabag into the pouch. They come in really nice silk net bags.

Tie your creation to the side of each teacup at your next event. Add one to a breakfast tray next time you are helping someone under the weather. Make a few and throw in a basket next to the pot at the office.    Go on . . .make someone feel special today!

Sorry for the delay. Had a bit of electronic mishap this morning. I think my pictures may have posted to a inter office memo at the White House. Opps.

Thanks Barry