Freshly Made Sketches 172 and AAACards Challenge

Two posts in one day? Yup!! I want to get this in before a deadline tomorrow so decided to post again today.

I created the card below using Freshly Made Sketch 172 and AAA Cards theme challenge: "Love, Love, Love" as my inspiration. I also kind of cheated. I used the design team's Jen Mitchell as an inspiration too. The card she created for this challenge was stunning.

I apologize for the brightness of this card. The pink on that heart is not quite as florescent in real life, though it is bright.

Before I even started this card, I knew I wanted to use the heart die cut from Simon Says Stamp. I also wanted to attempt to make the heart appear "wispy" like the image below that was on AAA Cards blog.

I die cut the heart from white card stock and then dipped it into a watered down pearlescent pink paint, pearlescent white paint and a pink re-inker I had. I actually made four hearts like this, some even had some blue, but this heart was my favorite of the four that I created. You should have seen my hands when this was all done-what a MESS!! 

While the effect was not as "wispy" as I wanted, I think the heart came out pretty good. 

From there, I followed Freshly Made Sketches Sketch 172.

I dry embossed a piece of white card stock and then stamped different colored paint splotches in pink using My Favorite Thing's "Abstract Art" set. (I literally copied the idea of the paint splotches, as well as using the tag the way I did from Jen Mitchell's card.)

I then adhered a piece of patterned paper strip over the top of the card front. I die cut a tag out of white, tied white ribbon and twine at the top and layered the heart, a stamped banner and a gold heart die cut. The last step was to adhere the tag element to the card.

I am going to admit that there is a TON of white space on this card but I really did not want to add another color in with those pinks. It would be too much.

I like how this came out. There are a few things I would do differently, though. I would stamp the paint splotches before I dry embossed. Rookie mistake but I was in a hurry to get this done. 

I thank you for stopping by. Again, have a great night!!

P.S. While I have been writing this post, my dog has been pacing and whining. He is an attention hog and everyone but me is upstairs with the door shut. Zack finally gave up and this is where he is now:

Supplies:

InLinkz.com

Virginia's View Challenge and My Shaker Card Attempt

I know the rage in card making right now is shaker cards but I want to start off by saying that these are my LEAST favorite cards to make. I browse online and see all these lovely creations, with fabulous frames and sparkly sequins that make me drool. "I can make that!" I think to myself. However, when I actually attempt to create one, I get adhesive on the acetate or my glitter falls out of my card at a slow, but sure, rate from the tiny hole that I missed with the adhesive, even though I cannot find that hole. I cannot tell you how many completed shaker cards I have thrown out that have literally taken HOURS to make, no matter what tried and true technique of someones I try.

I bit the bullet this weekend and tried to make yet another shaker card, just for Virginia's View February challenge. Yes, it is a Valentine, and no, it was NOT an epic fail. I think the reason it wasn't is because I kept it small. No covering an entire front of a card but big enough to be a main element. Here is what I came up with:

I will be honest, I did a lot of things on this card that made me uncomfortable. I used three different patterned papers, as well as used a border die at an angle and a banner that sticks up-no way!! That is not me. You know what? It was kind of fun. To have my shaker not leak was just icing on the cake.

To start with, this card is a bit bigger then an A2 card. I just figured if I was going to go all out, I might as well try a larger canvas too. The first thing I did on the white background is to round the corners. Then I die cut some patterned paper scraps into rectangles and adhered them at an angle.

Next, I adhered a xoxo border from Simon Says Stamp and then adhered the shaker box I created over them. I topped the shaker box with a red glitter die cut note.

I stamped a few pink hearts randomly over the card. I die cut, stamped and embossed the sentiment banner and adhered it under my shaker box. I didn't even make sure it was straight!

The last step was to adhere some die cut gold hearts. Simple and easy and so not my style. However, I had fun. Who could ask for more? Maybe next time I will even attempt to go a little bigger on the shaker!

I am entering this card in Virginia's View Shaker Challenge. Thank you Virginia for actually kicking me in the pants showing me I CAN make a shaker card if I really want to!!

I appreciate you stopping by. Have a fabulous day!!

Supplies:

InLinkz.com

Online Class Homework for Clean and Simple 4

It is Tuesday in blog land and I am FINALLY getting around to attempting to do some homework for the Clean and Simple 4 card making class that I am taking. I have to admit, I am earning an F in the homework department. As I said in my post yesterday, my mojo is so low that I have had a hard time motivating myself to do anything. However, I forced myself to sit down and attempt a card to complete my homework for Day 1 of the class.

Day 1 was all about different techniques of heat embossing. I chose to attempt to use Julie's "Faux Ceramic Tile" technique, which as you can see below, was an epic fail.

I tried to make this in a tile shape but I wound up messing everything up. First, it die cut all the way through no matter what I did. Then I figured I would just do the technique anyway, I messed up the embossing on FOUR different tiles. As I am attempting to do two cards every time I sit down, I had done the element in a circle as well and this was my last hope of even making a card for this homework. I was NOT going to attempt a 5th tile!!

As you can see from the photo, the circle also die cut through but I faked it. I chose to mount the circle "tile" (yes, I know it really is NOT a tile) onto a pinked circle to make it pop a little. I figured this element would be perfect for a Valentine and the rest of the card was just a matter of layering.

What I learned for Day 1:

• I am a failure at just "embossing" with my dies. I need to practice a bit more when I have more time but I am determined to figure it out. 
• I also attempted Jennifer's technique in using multiple embossing powders on a background but I kept smudging the stamped design. I think it was because I was pushing the tape down too hard. Again, when I have more time, I will be playing with this technique.
• Though I usually work well under pressure, I have been super busy trying to fit in so many things I HAVE to do in my day that I just having nothing left for my homework. I am glad I am not taking this class for a grade!!

I thank you for taking the time to browse. Have a great day!!

Supplies:

InLinkz.com