Today’s post is brought to you by the matching card and envelope challenge over at The Paper Variety. The inspiration for the focal on this card I CASEd from a Moxie Fab World post. I also used pieces of technique for the background base on Tim Holtz’s Creative Chemistry 101 class.

So, with those three things in my brain I came up with this card and envelope set.

Recipe
carstock: Stampin’ Up (green, black), Staples (white)
stamps, embossing powder: Stampin’ Up
die cuts: Cricut
inks: Ranger
bakers twine: Boxer Scrapbooks
markers: Copic
gems: Want2Scrap
modeling paste: Grumbacher

First I cut the cake + stand image on my Cricut. I then emossed the stand with copper embossing powder to give it a metal quality. I dabbed a scoop of modeling past on my craft sheet and colored it with a drop of brown dye ink. Using my Cricut spatula, I spread the modeling paste across the cake to give it a frosted texture. While it was drying I inked my background, created my candles and built up the card. Even then the cake was not dry. In the process of working with the modeling medium I learned a few things about it.

1. Don’t heat it with a heat gun. It will bubble. Allow it to dry overnight for this kind of application.
2. If it is applied to a single layer of cardstock, it will warp and roll up as it drys. Then it will crack when you unroll the paper. Try adhering it to something more solid to allow a good flat drying.
3. It was fairly solid once dry. I thought I might have to mail the card in a padded envelope to prevent it from crushing and flaking. But once I felt the texture I decided to send it straight in the matching envelope (external embellishment removed for the sake of the Postal workers!).
4. I think I would add a second layer to the cake but I didn’t have time to wait another day for drying.
5. Most of all, it was fun to add this kind of texture to a project. I am going to experiment with different textural backgrounds.