This months sketch was designed by Cassie. Check out all the beautiful inspiration from our Design Team. Show us what you can come up with by using this sketch!

This week at Frosted Designs we are sharing our favorite techniques! What is your favorite technique for paper crafting? At the end of this challenge, we will have our TOP 3 posted and then we are going to vote and the best out of the TOP 3 will win 5 digi-stamps courtesy of Diane over at www.disdigidownloads.blogspot.com. Challenge closes on March 12th. Top 3 announced on March 13th

my favourite technique is a masterboard but I use them as my backing papers

One of my favorite techniques is sanding my edges. For this, I used a Tim Holtz mini grip sander for the main elements of my layout and an emery board (nail file - who doesn't have one of those laying around?!) for the letters. Another great set of sanding tools are precision files - which are especially helpful for sanding down small details, like the corners of letters or chipboard shapes with tight access.

I chose masking and glimmer mist as my technique to share. I first cut the desired share using my cricut...then layed it on top of the white paper...masking the part that I wanted to stay white...and sprayed glimmer mist over the exposed part of the paper. Give it a few minutes to dry and then lift the mask off! It's that easy! And with glimmer mist coming in so many colors, the possibilities are endless!! A few pointers while working with Glimmer Mist... shake very well before each use, and be sure to keep the lid on while shaking. (I didn't have it on a couple of times and drops of glimmer mist went flying!!) Also make sure you protect the surface you are working on with a work mat or wax paper. The flowers on this LO were made by using coffee filters and glimmer mist. you can find a tutorial on how to make them on my blog. Come check it out!

My current favorite technique is to outline elements with a black gel pen or zig marker. It really makes things POP!

One of my favorite techniques is masking. I love the reversed stencil look. It works so well with different mediums as well. On this layout I used a glimmer screen to create a mask with Glimmer mist on the background paper. I also used a Tim Holtz mini mask on the paper strip to the right of the photo using Distress Ink.

My favorite technique is distressing the edges of paper. I use my finger nail and go around the edges of the paper. I love the look that it creates, kinda a shabby look!

I made a big distressed flower using some lightweight dp, my nesties in the scalloped circle and a
couple distressing inks. I used three of nesties and cut three layers of dp for each size. I completely crumpled the layers up and then used some milled lavender and cocoa distressing inks, finished off with a brad and some bling.

The technique I used on this layout is a ribbon flower. I came across this technique on a wonderful site: http://www.scrap-a-little.com/. Helen Croft has lots of wonderful flower tutorials on her site.
To make your ribbon rose first cute 3 pieces of ribbon at 2 1/2" each. Then cut 4 more pieces of ribbon at 4" each. Add glue to the ends and fold towards the center. Take the four 4" pieces and glue them on top of each other. First one horizontal, second one vertical and the remaining two criss cross. Next take the smaller 2 1/2" pieces and criss cross them on top of the larger pieces. I used glue dots to hold them together. For the center of the flower, take a piece of ribbon 4" long and fold it in half. From there you roll it up, tuck the end under and adhere the end with a glue dot. Place this on top of your other ribbons and you have a beautiful ribbon flower.

One of my favorite techniques is inking & distressing the edges of my paper & photo mats. To do the outside edges of the background paper , I use a craft mat & with the inker blending tool I go around the edges in a circular motion. To distress my edges I use an edge distress er & pull it along my edges

Distressing: using two different ink color, I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Tea Dye -, then I used Martha Steward stamps - Red Chrysanthemum

I really like to 'scratch' my photos around the edges. I think it adds just a little texture and can really make a photo pop. Sometimes I just scratch a line for a border and sometimes I scratch more elaborate borders, like the arrows on today's layout. I just use a seam ripper and go for it.

For my technique, I went with hand stitching. I typically use computer fonts printed on vellum and then I put the felt or paper right on top so the letters are faced up right when I stitch. The vellum lets you see the letters from the back side AND it tears away easily when you are done!

This week we are incorporating handwriting in our challenge. Use it on a layout, card or project and show us your work! Challenge closes on March 5th and the TOP 3 will be announced on March 6th