You Can't Win Them All

Thinking outside the box is not a strong point of mine.  In order to get out of the rut of easy cards, I am really challenging myself lately.  I confess I have tossed more than one card but it has been fun to see what I can come up with.

 I am still playing with some of my new stamps and wanted to use this Framed Zinnia by Stamplorations but how to use it so it didn't look lonely on the card using the sketch below, that was the challenge.

For my background panel I used Tim Holtz Tea Dye distress ink and then stamped it with a Stampin Up' Linen Background stamp using Apricot ink.  The butterflies are Gina K Design stamped with the Tea Dye distress ink.  But the zinnia stamp still just sat there on the paper.  So I started adding - first twill tape, then I cut a frame with Pumpkin cardstock, matching the card base.  Still not happy so I cut out some leaves with the Elizabeth Crafts Jasmine leaves die.  Finally I added the black lace.
The image is colored with Copics.
I would have like it better if I had not used the twill but after using Scoretape it was not about to be removed!
Oh, I almost forgot; I used two colors of liquid pearls around the center of the flower, Cantalope and Daffodil.  Here is a close up of that and maybe you can see a bit of how I scored the leaves.

Thanks for looking and of course I love reading your comments.

Challenges:
Work It Wednesday - flowers
Stamploration Anything Goes challenge

Stamploration Sketch and Theme

7 Kids College Fund - anything
Simon Says Wednesday - flowers
Time Out - photo inspiration