Le Jardin Pears Tutorial

This is a striking, easy piece to create. Be creative! Look at your rubber stamp collection and see what you can come up with.

This was done using stamps from Hampton Arts.

Here is what else you'll need for this project:

Dye-based Inks in 2 dark colors and a 'shadow' color
(I used Ranger Inks in Sepia, Coffee and Caramel)
Matte cardstock in matte green and natural
Small piece of wire mesh
4 coordinating brads
Double-stick foam tape & flat tape
Stipple Brush or Soft Sponge

If you are making a card with this project, cut and fold your green cardstock to desired size. Set aside.

Cut the natural color cardstock to the size of the front of your green card, then cut in half. On one half, stamp a row of 3 or 4 pears with Sepia ink. Then, using the same stamp, use the Caramel ink and 'overstamp slightly' next to each pear to create a shadow-effect. On the other half of the natural cardstock, do the same technique using the 'coordinating word' stamp. Using a piece of leftover natural cardstock, stamp one more pear image in Sepia and cut it out. It will be used in the center.

After stamping is complete, take each half of stamped cardstock and tear toward you to create a rough edge. The rough edges should end up in the middle of your card (see photo). Then using your stipple brush or soft sponge, distress the edges using the Coffee ink.

To assemble the card, place the single pear somewhere in the center of your green card using raised foam tape. Then lay your wire mesh square over the top. Place your top half with the words flush with top of the card and the bottom half with the pears flush with the bottom of the card. Tack down the edges with double stick flat tape. Punch small holes in the centers of each half of natural cardstock through the green cardstock and insert brads to hold wire mesh in place.

This project is really very easy if you continue to refer to the photo as you follow the instructions.
It's a great project to adapt on a larger scale for a piece of wall art, so have fun with it and let me know what you think!