Guest Designer - Esther Asbury

Please say hello and give a warm welcome to our Guest Designer for the Water, Water, Everywhere challenge.  This is Esther Asbury of Shoregirl's Creations, who was the Design Team's Top Pick from the Mother, May I challenge.

Hello, my name is Esther Asbury and I'm honored and excited that I get to be a guest designer here on the Frilly and Funkie blog today! I live in the beautiful state of Virginia, USA. I've been happily married to my husband for 20 years and we have one beautiful daughter and two spoiled rotten dogs.

I've enjoyed many different hobbies over the years (cross-stitch, crocheting, knitting, gardening to name a few), but I've recently narrowed my interest to mainly card-making/paper-crafts. I don't really have one definable style but instead enjoy trying new techniques and experimenting with different products.(I think it's because I really like variety, and am easily bored with the same old, same old. SMILE!) I'm honored and excited to be a guest design on the Frilly and Funkie blog this week, and I hope my work will inspire you to create in your own unique style!

I decided to go with a shabby chic sea themed card today, so let's get started...

To create those board in the background I: 

• embossed a piece of light blue card stock with the 3D Lumber Embossing Folder 
• cut my boards apart, tore the ends, and distressed the sides by running an open pair of scissors along them 
• swiped some Picket Fence Distress Stain down each board 
• stamped my Versamark Watermark ink pad over the entire board and added Seth Apter Baked Texture (I rubbed some off before heat setting so that only part of the board would retain the texture)
• lightly applied some dry Parthenay Umber Artisan Powder to the centers of each board 

After adhering my boards to my square card front, I added a piece of cheesecloth and some crochet paper lace.

Next I die cut three feathered lace ovals and cut the centers out to form a frame. I glued the three frames together for more dimension and stamped the plaid background stamp from Wendy Vecchi over the top in salty ocean ink. I added a bit of picket fence distress stain over my ink to tone down the brightness.

I accented all my nautical die cuts with distress ink ink and picket fence distress stain. The anchor has a layer of blizzard baked texture over top for added interest.

I added some homemade flowers to the bottom corner with a bit of burlap string tucked in behind.

Here's how I created the flowers:

• die cut 2 each of the smallest and next to smallest flowers from the tattered florals die
• stamped two colors of distress oxide on my craft surface, added water, and smashed the flowers in the diluted ink till I achieved a color I was happy with - Note: I made sure to ink the reverse side of my flowers as well as the fronts
• crumpled my flowers into a ball to create wrinkles and texture
• unfolded my flowers, heat set, and glued together

The final touch was a sentiment from the True North stamp set in broken china distress oxide.

I hope you've enjoyed following along in my creative process, and will stop by the current challenge and link up your "water" projects!

Supplies and tools with links to The Funkie Junkie Boutique for products from the store: 

• 3D Lumber Embossing Folder (Sizzix - Tim Holtz)
• Picket Fence Distress Stain (Ranger)
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Blizzard Baked Texture (Seth Apter)
• Parthenay Umber Artisan Powder (Prima)
• Plaid Flannel Background Stamp (Wendy Vecchi)
• True North Stamp Set (Stamplorations)
• Crochet Thinlits (Sizzix - Tim Holtz)
• Feathered Lace Ovals (Gina Marie Designs)
• Tattered Florals Die (Sizzix - Tim Holtz)
• Small Sea Shell Dies (Impression Obsession)
• Paddles and Rope Ladder (Cottage Cutz)
• Sailboat (Cottage Cutz)
• Anchor (Cottage Cutz)
• Crab (Cottage Cutz)
• These colors of Distress Oxide (Ranger) - Salty Ocean, Broken China, Peeled Paint, Walnut Stain, Wild Honey
• Peacock Feathers Distress Ink (Ranger)
• Burlap String
• Cheesecloth

* * *

To see all the details of Esther's fabulous card and more of her lovely work, check out her blog and then come on back and share your water-themed project with us.  The Water, Water, Everywhere challenge can be found HERE and runs through 11:55 pm EST on Tuesday, July 16th.

There will be a new Saturday Showcase on July 13th, so be sure to save the date and visit us so you don't miss the inspiration our designer will be sharing.