Summer Card Class Homework Day 4

I think the homework for day 4 of the Summer Card Class II was one of the hardest that I have had to ever do in a creative class. The challenge was to make a card in 10 minutes. I have never created ANYTHING in 10 minutes. If I need a quick card and I don't have it in my stash, I buy it! I take way too long to plan out my creations-which is one of my problems-and even when I plan something out, I get a better idea and change it half way through.

The first thing I did to prepare for this assignment was to take out everything I was going to need for the challenge. I had so much out that everything was strewn across my work space. I should have taken a photo of it but the mess stressed me out so bad that I just couldn't.

To start with, I decided to use lemon tart card stock as my background piece and went from there. I had pulled out various yellow scraps of patterned paper last night, which were still on my desk, and I knew that I wanted one paper in particular on this card. I then just went for it, not second guessing anything and HURRIED!!!

I was actually feeling sick to my stomach at the end because I didn't think I was going to make it. To be truthful, I went a little over the time. Shshsh!! It actually took me 10 minutes, 10 seconds!! That was because I had to die cut the word balloon twice due to a stamping error. It always happens when I am in a rush so I should have cut out two to begin with!!

So this is what I learned from today's class:

• If I do this challenge again, I will do it very differently. Instead of die cutting things from scratch, I would pull out my huge box of "extras" that I have die cut in the past and start from there. 
• Before I start a project like this, I will CLEAN OFF MY DESK!! I think this was part of the problem. I had too much there-mostly from my late night last night and I need a clean work space.
• For challenges like this, clean and simple is the way to go.

Well, that is all for today unless I get inspired again. Thank you all for stopping by. Have a great Thursday!!

Nora

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My Homework for Day 3 of the Summer Card Class II

I am exhausted today from staying up late. I was too busy yesterday to do my homework so I was up last night until midnight making this card!

My assignment last night was to create a card inspired by one of four cards that they had on the classroom site yesterday. All of the cards inspired me in some way but since I only had time to make one, I chose the designer Laura Bassen's card. Her blog, Doublestick Heaven, is a must see. You can get lost in it. Her creative use of supplies and thinking outside the box is amazing!!


Laura's original card was simple in nature. The card itself was white and it contained six banners in different colors. There was a large flower element and a sentiment over the banners. Here is the card I created:

I liked the banners on the original card but since I am not one to copy a card exactly, I chose to die cut a border using an MFT border die and fill it with colored squares. My main element is a large flower, like Laura's, and I did stamp a sentiment on a banner to kind of keep the flavor of the original card.

I am happy with how this came out since I was up so late but once again, there are things that I will change when I repeat this design. (and I cut out a ton of borders so I will be repeating this!!) The original card banners were smaller and I think that I might cut my borders a bit smaller. I also am not sure I like that I started so close to the bottom. I also might put some glossy accents over the paper squares but I would have to experiment with that first.

I am off to go look at the class for today. Thank you for taking the time to look at my card.

Nora

Supplies

Summer Card Camp Homework Day 2

I am taking a card class and once again I had homework. I was to use a technique that they taught us to make a card. There were four techniques shown and I used three of them.

My first card I created using a watercolor technique. Since I don't own any gelato pastels, I had to improvise to get the look that the instructor created on her card. I used ink on an acrylic stamp, spritzed it with some shimmer Smooch Spray and dragged it down my water color paper. It did not flow as easily as when you use the gelato but I am happy with it. (I apologize for the photo. I am just learning how to use the new version of Photoshop after having used Elements for years. I cannot get the hang of fixing the color correctly in this version)

I used Jennifer McGuire's technique of inking up a word stamp in different colors for the sentiment I used on the card. Again I had to improvise because I do not own a stamp positioner. That was another thing I gave away long ago when I converted to clear stamps!!

I just wanted to give you a little different view of the card because you can see the shimmer from the clear shimmer spray. I love using clear shimmer spray instead of spritzing with water because I like the effect it gives on the card. This view also gives a better representation of the card. May be because I didn't use any auto on Photoshop to fix it!!

On my second card, I used the technique of drawing a line in the middle of strips of paper and stamping. This card looked better BEFORE I put it through my die cut machine to emboss. However, I finished the darn thing at 11 pm last night and just didn't have the energy to fix it.

Instead of using just sentiments on the card, I chose to use some pattern stamps. I used and arrow on the orange strip and hearts on the pink. The hearts would have showed up better had I not embossed the darn thing. Ugg!!

In the middle of the embossed circle, I put dots of crystal glitter glue to give the card a little bit of shine. I only applied it to the white part. It is hard to tell but I think you can see a little shine in this close up photo. 

I think this last view shows it off a little better.

Things I have learned from Day 2 of this card class:

• *First and foremost, practice makes perfect. For the masking technique, I made mistakes like not making sure the ink didn't get on the line before or after what I was stamping. I had to start over at least three times before I got it right. 

• *If you don't have the right supplies, it is OK to improvise. I really, really wanted gelatos. I almost bought a set yesterday but I didn't have a coupon so I decided I would purchase them another time. I was regretting that last night when I watched the video!! However, I made do with what I had and I think the card came out really nice.

• *When I do the strip card again I won't a) emboss the whole front like I did and b) I would use slightly bigger shape stamps. The hearts are too small to see on the pink and that bums me out.

Well that is all for today!! I will see you again tomorrow!!

Nora

Supplies