OCC Challenge - Stitched Cards

Hi everyone! Real quick before I tell you about my OCC card, I wanted to mention that my blogging buddy, Tosh (Stamps4funinCA), is giving away some AWESOME blog candy. Stop by and check it out on her blog. Tosh is one of my favorite stampers...she's a true sweetheart too! She'll be drawing a winner on Sunday afternoon, so hurry on over and enter. :)

Amy's challenge this week is to make cards using stitching...faux or real. The only rule is the stitching has to be in a color other than white. Please stop by the OCC blog to see the samples from the OCC girls and our guest designer this week, Michelle Rodgers from Stamper's Dream! :) Please play along in the challenge if you'd like! :)

I don't (read: can't) sew, so I faux stitched my card using my piercing tool and SU mat pack. I used Taylor's cupcake sketch from yesterday (TECC35), faux stitched all four background squares, the main image square, and the panel on the inside of the card with a Close to Cocoa marker.

The cupcake stamp and sentiment are from Taylored Expressions, Stamp a Sweet Impression Collection. The wide polka dot ribbon is from Strano Designs.

The image was stamped a few times onto plain white CS and Bella Rosa DP. The cake slice was watercolored with Close to Cocoa and Basic Brown classic ink. The paper under the slice of cake was cut out and paper pieced, glued down with tombo adhesive flat to the base layer. The top of the cupcake was watercolored, cut out, and popped up on dimensionals. The bottom of the cupcake was cut out from the Bella Rosa DP and popped up on dimensionals. The main image, four background squares, and punched sentiment are all up on separate layers of dimensionals. A pink swarovski crystal was added to the top of the cupcake (glued down with a small dot of Crystal Effects), and orange stickles were added to the candle flame. The shadow under the image was done with C1 and C5 Cool Gray Copic markers.

RECIPE ~
Stamps: SASI Sweet Celebration (Taylored Expressions)
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Textured Pink Pirouette, Papertrey Select White, Bella Rosa DP
Ink: Timber Brown StazOn, Close to Cocoa, Basic Brown, C1 and C5 Cool Gray Copic markers
Accessories: Piercing Tool & Mat Pack, Pink Swarovski Crystal, Orange Stickles, Word Window Punch, Dimensionals, Strano Ribbon
Technique: Watercoloring, Paper Piecing, Paper Piercing

Have a GREAT weekend!