Well, as promised – here’s the final package of Blog Candy that I’m giving away to celebrate my 100th Blog-post-iversary (which actually happened last Tuesday!). So far, we’ve had one winner! Blog Candy package #2 is still out there to be won – go to this post to enter, before 6 PM Mountain time TONIGHT!! Then be sure to read all the way to bottom of THIS post to find out how to win the finale Blog Candy! 🙂
Quick back story. Y’all have surely figured out that I’m a horse person. I’ve followed the teachings of Clinton Anderson now for several years (PSA – if YOU are a horse person, check his training method out. It works!). When you go to one of his clinics, there’s an exercise that he has the attendees do – in a large group of horses and riders, they all just trot or canter around the arena – with all the riders holding on to the horn of their saddle and the reins just flapping. They’re not steering their horses at all. The purpose is for the horse to maintain whatever gait has been asked for. It does work, but it can get pretty….sporty. At some point, every horse ends up trotting or cantering right up to a fence and then he gets to the fence and he makes a decision. Left? Right? Well, if the rider has decided that the horse is going to go left….and the horse goes right….there’s likely to be a parting of ways. So, Clinton always says – don’t decide which way the horse is going to go. Stay in the middle of the saddle and don’t anticipate. That works – cause you’re not already thinking one way, only to be….disappointed.
And what, exactly, does this story have to do with stamping and this card? Stay with me here…..
Today’s card was inspired by CAS(E) This Sketch #135:
I should have called this card my “decisioning, debating, dithering” card, cause that’s what I spent quite a bit of time doing today. I pulled out Sheltering Tree. I took out the large leaf from Vintage Leaves. I considered Sprinkles of Life. Finally decided on Awesomely Artistic, because…well, just because I love it! And here’s where the back story comes in. I decided I was going LEFT before I knew what my horse was going to do. Metaphorically speaking, of course. In card-making-speak, I made an “ingredient” decision and wouldn’t let it go. It all turned out okay, but it resulted in lots more debating and dithering to. To be exact, I decided I was going to use the new 5/8″ Smoky Slate Chevron Ribbon.
Perhaps the analogy was looser than I thought…. ?
Here’s what I came up with. Take a look-see:
As you can see I DID get that ribbon on the card, by golly. And, I actually like how it worked into the design. Whoda thunk it?
So, I started with a piece of Shimmery White Card Stock, which I put in the new Fluttering TIEF and ran thru the Big Shot. Then I spent some time doing that aforementioned dithering: EMbossed side up or DEbossed side up!? Finally decided to be “normal” and SNAILd it – EMbossed side up onto a mat of Pink Pirouette card stock.
I attached the Chevron Ribbon with Multi-Purpose Liquid Glue and trimmed the ends to fit the card front. Then I got the brilliant idea – she says with much modesty – to stick some of the new Blushing Bride Sequin Trim to the Chevron Ribbon. I thought it would bling up the kind of rough texture of the ribbon and the ribbon would tone down the sequins. The end result has a kind of shabby chic charm, I think. I used the Liquid Glue again – being sure to get enough under the ends of the sequin trim so that the end sequins don’t fall off!
The circle element of the design started with another piece of the Shimmery White card stock, cut with my Circles Collection Framelits. I stamped the flowers from Awesomely Artistic in Crumb Cake. Then I colored it in – Pink Pirouette for the flowers, with Blushing Bride veining and Pear Pizzazz for the leaves, with Old Olive veins – with my Stampin’ Write Markers. Then I SNAILd it onto a circle of Pink Pirouette, that I’d punched with my 2 1/2″ Circle Punch.
I adhered it over the ribbon with some Stampin’ Dimensionals on the top and bottom of the circle, and some SNAIL across the center. Then I trimmed the side to follow the sketch.
The butterflies are punched from Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper – two with the Bitty Butterfly Punch and one with the Elegant Butterfly Punch. I colored them with my Stampin’ Write Markers – Pink Pirouette for the two Bitty Butterflies and Blushing Bride for the Elegant Butterfly. They’re adhered to the circle with Glue Dots and then glammed up with some Pearl Basic Jewels!
For the sentiment, I stamped the frame from the Awesomely Artistic set in Crumb Cake on a piece of Whisper White card stock, then I colored in the white gaps with my Pink Pirouette marker. The sentiment itself is from the Tin of Cards set, stamped in Crumb Cake. Then I fussy cut the image out and SNAILd it to a piece of Pink Pirouette card stock -which I also fussy cut to be a narrow mat for the sentiment. Stampin’ Dimensionals and SNAIL adhered it to the card front.
I popped the entire thing onto my Crumb Cake card base with Stampin’ Dimensionals – and moved inside!
I re-stamped the Awesomely Artistic flowers in the corner, and then colored them in the same way I’d done on the front. I decided to shake it up a little and put the flowers in the upper left corner of the liner. No – I did NOT screw that up, thank you very much. It was totally planned!
I rounded out my creative decisioning, debating, dithering day by stamping the Awesomely Artistic flowers one more time, this time on a Crumb Cake Medium Envelope….et voila! Done!
And I made the card go LEFT! 🙂 I do like how the ribbon worked out – didn’t think I would, but…
So, tomorrow’s house cleaning day and I invited some friends for dinner. 1) That forces us to clean the house and not come up with an excuse not to and 2) I like to take advantage of the 5 minutes my house STAYS clean to have people over! Which means I may not get a card made for Sunday. I’m going to try, but I may fall short! Just sayin’…..
If I don’t see you tomorrow – I’ll be back in the saddle on Monday!
Don’t miss the Blog Candy offering down below….
Only 25 days until the 2015 Holiday Catalog hits the streets! Which means the Catalog Shares are only 25 days away – deadline to sign up is the 30th. Be sure to go over to the 2015 Holiday Catalog Shares page and get all the deets on the shares, okay?
Thanks for stopping by!
TTFN
Mary
WEEKLY DEALS FOR 4 Aug – 10 Aug 15!! Click here to see the Weekly Deals from Stampin’ Up! in my online store. The Weekly Deals are only while supplies last and only available at these great prices through 10 Aug!
Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog
BLOG CANDY GIVEAWAY!
Here’s the Third and Final 100th Blog-post-iversary Blog Candy Package. Lots of Holiday goodies. Now – truth in advertising – these are used items. But, only very gently used and only by me. I’m the original owner and the only user! They’ve got lots and lots of life left in them! Take a look-see:
This package contains the Letterpress Winter Photopolymer set (never used), the Holiday Home Photopolymer set (used lightly) WITH the matching Framelits, the Endless Wishes Photopolymer set (never used), the Lucky Stars TIEF (never opened), a package of the 2015 Sale-A-Bration Sheer Perfection Designer Vellum Stack, and a package of Pearl Basic Jewels. Score!
To be entered to win today’s Blog Candy package, simply leave me a comment on this blog post before 6 PM MT on Tuesday 11 Aug and let me know what you’re planning for Christmas this year. Travel? Staying home? That’s too far out to possibly know?!?! 🙂
I’ll be using the Random Number Generator to pick the lucky winner from the comments that are left on this blog post and I’ll post the winners on my blog on Wednesday morning. Please note, anyone is welcome to leave me a comment but per the Demonstrator rules from Stampin’ Up!, I am only able to ship Stampin’ Up! merchandise to addresses within the United States. Thanks for your understanding. Good luck!!
2015 Holiday Shares are Open!
Shares are a great way to get a little bit of all the new Designer Papers, Ribbons and Embellishments to use in your holiday masterpieces! Go to the 2015 Holiday Catalog Shares page and see what could be coming your way! I’ll order early on 1 Sept, with expedited shipping, and get everything back out just as quick as I can!
Stampin’ Up! Items Eligible For Sales Tax Holidays!
Did you know that some items in the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog are classified as school supplies and qualify for the no-sales-tax benefit? The states typically define school supplies as “any items normally used by students in a standard classroom for educational purposes.” Eleven states participate in the annual Sales tax Holiday in July/Aug: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Stampin’ Up! has created a spreadsheet listing the exemptions per the state statute based on item description and price. This spreadsheet lists the applicable items from the 2015-2016 annual catalog. Please take a look for your states dates – and pay close attention to that. All orders have to be submitted in the system within each date range for your state – no exceptions – per state statute.
Let me know if you have any questions, be sure to download the spreadsheet to see the specific items that are available tax free!!
Paper Pumpkin – the fun comes right to your door! Give it a try today!
Offer Dates: July 23-September 10, 2015
The Fine Print:
- For new subscribers only.
- Available for month-to-month subscriptions, not prepaid subscriptions.
- 50% Discount is applied to one kit per month for the first two months of a new subscription.
- After the first two months, the price for each month’s kit will go to the regular price: $19.95.
- Go to http://www.PaperPumpkin.com to join
- Enter the Promo Code: HALFOFF
- New subscribers must join by Thursday, September 10, 2015; 11:50 PM (MT).
STAMPIN’ UP PRODUCTS USED IN TODAY’S PROJECT:
Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog
Card Cuts Used in Today’s Project:
Crumb Cake Card Stock: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ (Card Base – Scored and folded at 4 1/4″)
Shimmery White Card Stock: 4″ x 5 1/4″ (Fluttering embossed card front); 2 3/8″ circle (front art)
Pink Pirouette Card Stock: 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″ (card front mat); 2 1/2″ Circle (front art circle mat); mat behind sentiment – cut to fit
Whisper White Card Stock: 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″ (inner liner)
Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper: butterfly punches on card front
If you need any stamping supplies, I’d be very happy to be your Demonstrator. Just click on the Order Stampin’ Up! Online Now button on the right side of the screen to go directly to my online store or drop me an email if you have any questions. Happy Stamping!
Shop the Clearance Rack here.
Earn FREE Stampin’ Up! Products – Join my Punkin Head Peppermint Rewards – My online customer thank you program!
BACKORDER LIST AS OF 7 Aug 15
10 August
138286: Boho Chic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (second shipment)
138700: Best Thoughts Clear Stamp Set (hostess) (second shipment)
14 August
138288: Brick Wall Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
138296: Washi Label Punch (second shipment)
17 August
104181: 12″ x 12″ Craft Keepers (supply item)
138378: Tin of Cards Project Kit (third shipment)
140406: Watercolor Wishes Card Kit
18 August
138395: Expressions Natural Elements (second shipment)
28 August
135294: Variety Pack 1 12″ x 12″ Project Life Photo Pocket Pages
Inky Bee Stampers
KarensCardCorner
Stamp with Amy K
Stamp With Nel
Stampin With Shirley G
Tarabeth Stamps
TL's Bright Spot
Another beautiful and elegant card! I never would have thought to color the glimmer paper… What a great technique! I can’t believe how generous this blog candy prize is… Someone will be really blessed to win it! Thanks for sharing so much with all of us… I am really glad I signed up to be on our mailing list. Take good care and enjoy your visit with company, and your clean house! 🙂
I’m glad you joined, too, Patricia! 🙂 The glimmer paper is really fun to use – it doesn’t STAMP well, but it colors nicely! It did do a bit of a number on my marker so I’d probably use a sponge or a dauber next time. Just a thought. Thanks so much for the nice comment!
Your card is just beautiful! And I’m so impressed that you were able to get a little of that chevron ribbon on it…it looks great! Good luck with the house cleaning, I need to do a bit of that around here too. Enjoy your dinner! As far as Christmas, it’s WAY too early to have those plans all figured out. 🙂
Thanks, Amy! I’m pleased with it – and kind of tickled that I could get that ribbon in there! 🙂
Beautiful! And I love the story because the decision-making stymies many a project when if one
were just to begin a lovely creation might appear as this one surely demonstrates.
It sure does for me sometimes. Others I’ve seen what the card SHOULD look like and then it’s just a matter of making that happen! Thanks! 🙂
Beautiful card !!! Plans for Christmas will be the same….. my Daughters & their Families will all come to Grandma’s for dinner and celebration and a Wonderful day.
Thanks, Debbie! Sounds like you’ll have a full house – the best kind! – for Christmas this year! 🙂
Oh, I really like how this turned out! It went immediately to pinterest for future reference. I really like how the ribbon and sequins off set each other. Christmas?…..I will go see my mom, of course!
Thank you, Kathy! And sounds like you’re set on the Christmas-plan front! Sounds wonderful. 🙂
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!I love this card, Mary! Congratulations on the win. Housekeeping isn’t my bag either but it has to be done on occasion, ugh 🙂
With rather appalling regularity, yes! Thanks so much, Sharon!
Beautiful work as always and I’m happy you are once again enjoying a clean house…if only it would last..sigh…..Christmas will be with my family at my daughter’s house.
Nope – it’s like shoveling while it’s blizzarding! It just keeps coming back and coming back… Thanks so much, Patty! 🙂
A beautiful stylish card. Love the muted colours and sparkle
Thanks very much, Skye! 🙂
A beautiful card. We will stay as always for Christmas. We are a very lucky family as all of our immediate family lives within 20 miles of each other. We don’t have to travel far to see parents, children or grandchildren. We usually are able to see everyone within a 48 hour time frame.
Thanks, Janet. Sounds lovely mohave everyone so close. I know my Mom wishes we were all closer together! 🙂
Very pretty card! Great take on the sketch!
Thanks, Leigh!