Wedding Card

I haven't been to a wedding since last fall, and I don't see any on the horizon in the near future. Still, having a go-to layout for a unique wedding card in my repertoire is a necessity, so when I saw the free card template for this creation a few months ago on Lynn Pratt's blog, I filed it away. Yesterday I got around to giving it a trial run. I really like how it utilizes the Bride Specialty Paper and captures the elegance of this once in a lifetime event.

I followed the template for the most part, although I eliminated some panels that were to be added to the dress, and I decided to let the DSP speak for itself. The groom's tux also uses the DSP, and the single brad is silver.

I added my own interior, deploying Dazzling Diamonds judiciously on the swirl from Baroque Motifs. I think the "congratulations" stamp from Well-Scripted is perfect for this card, don't you?

Like I said, there are no weddings for us to attend this summer. What about you? What are your summer plans?

Hip to be Square!

I struggle coming up with creative titles for my posts! But this card has lots of little squares and I grew up in the 80s, which was synonymous with Huey Lewis and the News, for me at least. It's how my mind works.

This card was really inspired not by Huey, but by Mary Fish. I chose this card's color scheme to give some time in the spotlight to a few colors that are retiring at the end of next month: Really Rust and Sage Shadow.

The retiring colors will be available until June 30, or while supplies last. We demonstrators were informed last week that some card stock has already begun to be depleted, so textured card stock in the same color is being substituted until it runs out too. The reinkers will be restocked until May 30, and then once the stock is depleted, they will not be replenished.

I stamped images from these sets, just pulling out what I liked and what I thought went well together. All were stamped in Chocolate Chip classic ink, which is being moved from the Earth Elements family (which is being renamed the Regals Collection), into the Neutrals Collection.

These 1.25" squares were mounted on the Really Rust card stock, and accented with Sage Shadow .25" grosgrain ribbon, and a butterfly stamped in SS and mounted on top of the same image, creating a shadow of sorts.

Happy Birthday, Dad

This card was inspired by one made by Lynn Pratt using Baroque Motifs. Unlike Lynn, I didn't create gridlines. I stamped the image on my grid paper and then lined my card up underneath and lined up the stamp accordingly. Worked like a charm!

I like this color scheme of Ruby Red, Creamy Caramel, and Very Vanilla. It's one I haven't used in awhile. I used some hardware store twine to create the grid, and the sentiment from It's Your Birthday for the tag. It's masculine, isn't it?

My dad is a Butler alum, so we were cheering hard for the Bulldogs last night. Well, I was with them in spirit because I was sleeping while they played, but you know what I mean. I'm glad the game was close. Duke is like a Goliath in the NCAA, and Butler isn't even a Division I school. Hoosier perfected basketball, and the 'dogs made us proud last night.

Miles to Go Before I Sleep

I'm sure my friends Cookie or Robin could tell me who the author is of this saying, but whoever he was, he spoke prophetically and correctly about my day! As I stare at the clutter on the dining room table, the dog hair tumbleweeds on the carpet, the folded, but as yet not put away laundry on the bed, the untidied kitchen, and the disastrous state of my crafting space, I can tell I've been on a tear for too long.

All that will need to be done and more card stock will need to be cut before tomorrow's SAS. I did get 4 cards made yesterday, but I'm growing weary, friends.

Okay, here's what I made yesterday. This first card is a CASE of Wendy Janson's layout, and I used Manchester Designer Series Paper. The color scheme for these patterned papers is Always Artichoke, Baja Breeze, Kraft, and Very Vanilla. I found her work perusing through the SAS gallery for cards made using the Party Hearty set. I hope you can see how versatile this set is, now that I've posted a few cards using it! I wrestled a bit with this color combination, but I like this card for a guy. Very masculine and quick and easy. The circle with "celebrate you" is heat embossed, which is a nice subtle detail. I contemplated using twine for some sort of embellishment, but it was too much. Simple is better!

The next card is a reprise of an origami shirt card we made at the June SAS. Here's the link to the instructions I found online. Once I refreshed my memory on how to make it, it went together fairly quickly, and I'm pleased with the results. Do you like the little pocket? There's a piece of Baja Breeze card stock inside for writing a little message. The sleeves have to be folded in in order for it to fit in the envelope, but I put instructions regarding that inside the card for whoever purchases it.

So, that covers the two masculine birthday cards, leaving the female ones. Should be easy, right? Fatigue is effecting my creativity, but I soldiered on last night. I have to tell you, though, that the temptation to plop down on the couch beside Bob and veg out in front of the TV was great. I resisted, though.

Here's another example of incognito retired InColors showing up in current papers. The Haiku Designer Series Paper has two sheets of borders, meant mainly for scrapbookers, I believe. This one seems to use Wild Wasabi. Perhaps these DPs are carryovers from last year or something. I don't care; they allow me to put this stash of card stock into play! With the base of WW decided and the panel large enough to serve as focal image, all that needed to be added was an appropriate sentiment. It's from Heard from the Heart (which always makes me think of sheep... as in "herd of"). The border picks up the colors of So Saffron and More Mustard that are in the panel.

I was uninspired to complete the female birthday category, so I picked up Baroque Motifs and made a bridal card. I don't have much experience with brides or weddings of late, so I did a little poking around online to find out what colors are popular in weddings these days. I read that jewel tones, which I used in my wedding, are making a comeback, but the author of the article quickly advised not to make the 'maids wear a dress in said colors. That's what I did, and I'm sure my 'maids weren't happy about it almost 20 years ago, so the advice is best heeded.

All that said, I went with Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip, since BB is the closest thing I have to Tiffany Blue that is all the rage. I really hope this card does not become popular, as it was a pain in the butt to make, but since I invested the better part of an hour on it, it's going in the pile! It's not a traditional card, but a postcard with an envelope. Found this beautiful sheer ribbon that matches perfectly at Michael's.

Well, that's the blow by blow from last night. I have 40 min. before I need to leave for work, so I'm going to try to go tackle something on the domestic front before I depart. We have corporate visitors today, so there'll be a little more than the usual level of stress at work today. I'm hoping it's over before I get there, but I probably won't be so fortunate. Happy FRIDAY!!

CASEing...and Carding for a Guy

Laura Fredrickson is an amazing Canadian card artist whose blog I have in my Google Reader. I don't want to miss one thing she shares!

She shared a card that's almost identical to this earlier this week, and I was drawn to it because it used Wonderful You, a set I really liked when I got it--how long ago was that? ANYWAY, I pulled out my set and duplicated her main image exactly, but I had to come up with some other way to incorporate a sentiment, since I don't own Hodgepodge Hardware.

As I played with the matted focal point, I began to think about what it would look like mounted on an angle. I still haven't decided! I'm posting both and I want your feedback. I'm going to put a sentiment in the bottom right corner, and I'm purposely leaving it blank until I know what occasion I'll need it for. I would like you to vote--wonky or not!

BTW, the card stock is Tangerine Tango, which coordinates beautifully with Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, and Very Vanilla. That KK double striped ribbon is great to work with, and I really liked Laura's use of brads, so I did that too! It may be a little difficult to tell from the picture, but there are 1/4" circles underneath each brad.

Although I was a journalist in another life, I was never good at writing catchy headlines. I hope you were intrigued enough to scroll down to see this card, though, because I'm quite happy with it! This card is for this month's Stamp-A-Stack, as is the CASE above, and although I try to expose my guests to new materials every month, this month I seem to be returning to favorites. Urban Garden is my favorite DP, and Baroque Motifs is in my top 5 favorite sets of all time. I was blurfing yesterday afternoon and saw a card using UG, and just had to pull it out and play.

I am very limited in the stamps I have that would be considered "masculine", and this "motif" (for lack of a better word), jumped out at me as I pawed through my sets. I used the stampamajig to get the positioning just the way I wanted it, and pulled out Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, and Not Quite Navy from the DP's color palette. I didn't want to use ribbon, but I knew it was too bland without something, so I chose silver eyelets.

Again, I'm going to let my guests decide if they want this card to be a birthday, thank you, get well, congratulations, or blank card for their stashes. Don't you wish you were coming to this month's event? If you just had an opening in your calendar, or if you've been stranded on a desert island away from all forms of communication and still want to attend, just leave me a comment and I'll fit you in!

Elegant Baroque Motifs

I was making some business cards to take with me to the SU! annual convention next week, and I pulled out Baroque Motifs because it's so sophisticated. To me, it communicates the professionalism I strive for in my cardmaking. When I was finished, I still had the ink pads out, so I grabbed some card stock and went to town.

I had an idea to make a border of flowers using the smallest stamp in the set. I didn't want it to turn out unevenly spaced, so I stamped it first on my grid paper to get a good idea of how many stamps were going to be placed in each direction. As you can tell, it took two tries to get the 5.5" spacing correct. Once I had it the way I wanted it, I just lined the card up parallel and stamped! Easier than the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig.

Then I stamped the large swirly design in Soft Sky on Whisper White and trimmed it to the proper dimensions so that all the flowers could be seen around it. It needed a little somethin' somethin', so I pulled out a leftover piece of Close to Cocoa ribbon and fiddled a bit with it. I contemplated a saying, but decided to leave it blank for when I need it.

I am so glad this set is not retiring, as it is so dependable for a classy, contemporary, elegant card every time. Speaking of retiring, the retiring accessories list was released today, and there are certain items that are 25% off! Check out the link. Also, I'm wondering if anyone has a great idea for what to do with that empty punch tin pictured at the bottom of the page...at $3.95 each, it's something worth contemplating! Let's put our heads together and see what we can come up with. Contact me to place your order for retiring accessories or stamp sets. Aug. 10 will be here before you know it!