JustRite Friday Challenge #65: For the Love of . . .

I made this card earlier this month for a belated birthday celebration with a sweet friend whose birthday is just before Christmas. We were all so busy, we postponed celebrating until after the holidays in order to enjoy a long leisurely birthday lunch. I meant to post this sooner, but now happy I didn't as it fits the current JustRite challenge to create a card 'For The Love Of . . . we'd like to see what it is you love!'
First & foremost, I LOVE the sweet friends I've come to know through our love of paper crafting and this birthday girl is one! Another 'LOVE' of mine is JustRite stamps and their fabulous challenges! Next, I LOVE this little 6x6 Prima pad full of luscious coordinating papers. In fact, this card from JustRite's previous challenge uses the remainder of the brown paper my bottom layer here came from -- LOVE it when I can use the whole sheet. Another crafty friend who joins us for birthday lunches used another sheet from my paper pad to finish off her card for our friend's birthday also and then purchased this paper for herself -- always LOVE sharing the LOVE! How's that for a whole lotta LOVE?!
My JustRite greeting (Forever Friends) is layered on: Spellbinders' Labels Fourteen (topped with Nestabling), Heart Circles and a scalloped circle in Dark Chocolate CS (Papertrey Ink). My rosette (Tim Holtz die) sits atop layers of tulle cut with Spellbinders' Peony die and cream lace layered over Martha Stewart's 'Cloud' seam binding.
I'm also entering this card at:  Color Throwdown

Gathered Ribbon & Ribbon Rosette Tutorials

I wanted to share what I did to add interest to the ribbon and to make the center rosette of the Heartfelt Flower card posted earlier today. I've seen a lot of beautiful ribbons lately that are slightly gathered & I love that look. I've purchased one or two, but needed black today so decided I'd just make my own!

Gathered Ribbon Tutorial
I used an inexpensive 5/8" black sheer ribbon approximately 11" long to go with my pink/black theme.
I simply centered the cut ribbon strip under the presser foot on my beloved old Singer sewing machine, set the straight stitch length to 3 1/2", lowered my needle into the center of the ribbon and simply guided it through to the end of the ribbon. A basting stitch would work fine; I went a little smaller here since the ribbon is so sheer. You'd probably want to use the largest stitch available for a tighter-woven ribbon. I'm anxious to try this on other ribbons now!

Next, tie a secure knot in the threads at one end of your ribbon. I always tie a triple knot; I don't want it to come undone in the process of finishing whatever I'm working on!

Then simply begin gathering by pulling the top thread only from the untied end of the ribbon. The thread should pull easily. You may gather it as tightly or loosely as you prefer; I wanted mine to be only slightly/loosely gathered.

Then simply adjust your gathers by pushing them along the ribbon as evenly as you wish to from end to end.

When I had it gathered as I wished, I simply secured the ribbon end to the back side of my cream linen paper strip on the right edge with a big glue dot and then again on the left edge.

That's all there is to it!

Ribbon Rosette Tutorial:

As I was gathering my ribbon I realized that if I gathered it very tightly, it would curl up and form into a rosette. I decided it would make an awesome center for my bleached flower, but I needed a narrower ribbon for this flower. I took a 2 1/2" piece of 3/8" black sheer ribbon & simply stitched, tied and gathered it just as I'd done it above, only very tightly, forming the rosette. I then tied both ends tightly together, snipped the threads and used a couple of glue dots to secure the rosette & threads so they wouldn't show & popped it onto my flower center!

Here's the finished card again; if you have any questions, please leave a comment & ask. I'll be glad to try to help you!

Bleached Heartfelt Flower with Ribbon Rosette Center

One of my sisters in SBS8 posted a sketch challenge to create a card using stamps now offered in the UK Stampin'Up Catalog. Here's my post, Su, and in the process of creating this card, I've come upon an idea that is at least new to me, so I'll also be posting a new tutorial in the next day or so. I've been struggling with creativity a lot lately, so I thank you for helping me to hopefully climb out of that stranglehold!
Paper: Martha Stewart's Camellia Pink; Ivory Linen and Black Cardstocks
Stamp Set: Stampin'Up's Heartfelt Thanks
Other: Clorox Bleach (instead of ink)
Embellies: Black Sheer Ribbons