Welcome to the newest Make My Monday bi-weekly challenge #235. Our host for this bi-weekly challenge, Billie A., chose Create a Background for the theme. When you finish here, please visit the challenge site to see what the rest of the very talented design team members created. Then, don’t forget to upload your creations to our gallery. We look forward to seeing your creations there!

Here’s my card:

If you like to use embossing powders and blending brushes, creating this card is for you!

Measurements:

The Garden Green base measures 5-1/2 by 8-1/2 inches, scored at 4-1/4 inches
The white cardstock mat measures 5-3/8 by 4-1/8 inches
I trimmed two pieces of white cardstock to 4 by 5-1/4 inches, using one for the front of the card, and the other for the inside
I used scraps of Garden Green for the leaf swag and another one for the sentiment
The envelope flap DSP measures 6 by 2-1/2 inches
Finally, after fussy cutting the front leaf swag, I punched a 1-inch circle from the embossed scrap piece for the envelope seal and ran it through my XYRON create-a-sticker

Embossing, Blending, & Assembly:

Unless otherwise noted, I used multipurpose liquid glue to adhere the pieces together
After wiping down one piece of the white cardstock using my embossing buddy, I stamped the Leaf Collection background stamp using VersaMark ink
Then, I covered the ink with some Basics Wow white embossing powder and heat set it
Using blending brushes and Old Olive, Garden Green, and Mossy Meadow ink pads, I randomly blended the colors on the white cardstock
- HINT: After your finish blending the green colors on the cardstock, swipe the front with a lint-less paper towel to remove excess ink from the white heat set embossing powder
Wipe down a piece of Garden Green cardstock with your embossing buddy, stamp a section of the leaf swag (making sure you get the piece you want to fussy cut) and the sentiment using VersaMark ink
Cover the ink with white embossing powder and heat set
Crop the sentiment using a die of your choice
Fussy cut the leaf swag
Adhere the white mat to the base of the card
Cut a length of diagonal white ribbon for the front of the card
The following set of photos from a previous posts shows how I have been adhering ribbon with a faux square knot:

After adhering the ribbon around the embossed front of the card, adhere the front to the white mat
Arrange the leaf swag and adhere it under the ribbon
Add dimensionals to the back of your cropped sentiment making sure the dimensionals will straddle the ribbon and adhere
Since the sentiment can be an all-occasion one, I haven’t stamped an inside sentiment yet
- HINT: I used some removable adhesive to keep the white cardstock inside the card until I decide the purpose of this card
With that, I’d finished this coordinated card, envelope, and envelope seal set