Hope you’re sitting down. This is a bit earth-shattering. Are you ready?
Today’s share is….NOT….a Christmas Card!! gasp
Instead, it’s a custom-made card requested by a friend of mine for a friend of ours. She’s headed to a new job, and he wanted one of my “special” cards (his words, not mine!). No special requests. But, I remembered she likes pink – she even has pink shoes! So that was certainly a starting point!
And – when you look at the list of products used in this card, you should be sitting down. Really. It looks HUGE. Well, it really kind of IS huge. But, it was necessary for this card and this sketch!
There are two central stamp sets used – You’ve Got This and Happy Notes – both from the Annual Catalog. The design was inspired by Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge number 284. Be sure to check them out, okay?
And the color scheme comes – again! – from Stamp, Ink, Paper. I just had to do it – I loved the idea of putting pink with the black and white. So I did!
I chose Pink as my color – but I took a few liberties with it – I used Melon Mambo and Pink Pirouette. Take a look-see:
This card has a lot of layers, so hang on – here we go!
I started with a piece of White Corrugated Paper and I ran it thru my Big Shot in my Lucky Stars TIEF. Then I ran the edges of the paper across my Melon Mambo Ink Pad – the corrugated paper pulls the ink in and you get a lot of color – and it gets a little fuzzy on the edges. I like the effect very much! I wrapped a piece of Basic Black 3/8″ Stitched Satin Ribbon around the paper, and secured it in the back with tape. Then I SNAILd that to my Basic Black card base.
Then I started building my art piece. I pulled a bunch of stamps from several different sets – all centered around a “Congratulations, You can do this, best wishes, etc” theme. And I also got out my You’ve Got This set and took two sentiments from it. I put all the sentiments except one (“Good Things are Going to Happen”) onto an Acrylic Handle. Then I inked that up with Basic Black Archival Ink and stamped a piece of Whisper White Card Stock. Then I finished it up by adding the final sentiment, in Basic Black Archival Ink, in the bottom left corner. I did that because my test stamp with all the stamps on the block showed me that there was going to be too much space – due to the rubber mounting. By doing that stamp separately, I could use my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to get it in as close as I wanted it to be. Long winded enough for you?!? 😉
I made the pink background using the grass/clouds stamp you’ll find in the Sheltering Tree set. I stamped a bunch of swathes in Pink Pirouette and then a bunch in Melon Mambo stamped straight on the card and a bunch with Melon Mambo stamped off once. I made sure to go off the card quite a bit. And I covered it up pretty good! Here’s where that Basic Black Archival Ink came in handy – no running and smudging!
I edged the piece with my Melon Mambo Stampin’ Write Marker and then SNAILd it to a mat (similarly edged!) of Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper and then one more time on a SECOND mat made from the new (Annual Catalog) Everyday Chic DSP. Yes – TWO mats. You read it right!
Then I punched out some stars and hearts with my Itty Bitty Star and Heart punches from the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack. There’s some made out of Dazzling Diamonds, and edged with the Melon Mambo Marker. And one….lone…star….(You’re welcome, Texas)…punched from a Gold Foil Sheet. I attached all of them to the art piece with Multi-Purpose Liquid Glue, and then stuck the whole thing on the card front with SNAIL and a little more Liquid Glue for good measure!
And then. I added the button. It’s a Vintage Faceted Button. And it has a bow in it. But, folks, that’s no ORDINARY bow. That is a bow made from a piece Basic Black Baker’s Twine and two pieces of Gold Metallic Thread.
Wait.
WHAT!?!?!
TWO pieces of Gold Metallic Thread? And a piece of Baker’s Twine? A THREE piece bow?!?
Yes.
And TWO of them are the ever-so-thin Gold Metallic Thread.
I’m pretty sure that’s a difficulty factor of about a million! I get a “10” automatically just for trying it!
I ran the lengths thru the button and tied the bow. Hint: if this card appeals and you decide to make it, do it when your kids aren’t home. Your mom isn’t reading on the sofa. Best done alone. Cause….you might say some words not appropriate for company. Or kids. Just throwing that out there.
But, when you get your bow done, adhere it to the card with a couple of glue dots and some Multi-Purpose Liquid Glue – you don’t want it to go anywhere!
Moving on to the inside, I pulled out the cute little over-packed car in the Happy Notes set. I didn’t want the sentiment, so I put some scotch tape over that part to mask it off, and then I inked the car in my Basic Black Archival ink. I stamped it onto a Whisper White card stock liner (uhm, be sure to pull the tape off FIRST!) and then pulled out my Melon Mambo Stampin’ Write Marker and got busy….
I colored up the moving boxes – I figured anyone who has pink shoes probably would pack pink moving boxes! Then I stamped some hearts and stars from my Something to Say stamp set in Melon Mambo and Basic Black ink on the bottom.
I added a few hand-written notes to personalize it – if I owned the Alphabet Rotary Stamp, I’d have used it – but I don’t, so….I had to improvise! And I think it turned out pretty cute.
Et Volia. Card – done! But, this is a pretty bulky card and it called for a custom envelope. So – take a deep breath and we’ll get thru this together!
I made my envelope in exactly the way I showed you over on my Tutorial page, so head over there to see the detailed instructions. I used a piece of Whisper White Envelope Paper – cut to 8 1/4″ x 8 1/4″ (1/8″ bigger than the 8 1/8″ shown on the Envelope Punch Board – and I also padded the size of the card a smidge. With the button, it measures 4 1/2″ x 5 1/2″). Then I punched and scored my way around the square, and measured for my custom liner. The liner is from a piece of Brights Background Designer Series Paper. I SNAILd the liner in place and then folded all the edges up and adhered my envelope together with Tear and Tape Adhesive (only mine is still the “old” style with the red backing!).
I added some of the Tear and Tape to the flap so it can be closed later. I also stuck on a few more Melon Mambo hearts on the back and the front….
And – done! I’m hoping this will answer the mail….pun intended! And I hope that you guys liked it as well. Thanks for sticking with me all the way thru this long post!
The Paper Pumpkin special (get the first two months at 50% off) is drawing rapidly to a close! That special goes away on the 10th.
Speaking of things drawing to a close – so is the double Punkin’ Head Peppermints special. That one ends next Monday night! So, don’t miss out!
Hope you’re ready for a fun and SAFE three-day weekend!
TTFN and see you tomorrow!
Mary
P.S. Sitting in on my kitchen table is my BIG BOX O’ GOODIES! Yes, my big order arrived today. So – if you got a Holiday Catalog share from me – I’ll be getting everything divvied up in the next few days and out the door to you soon! 🙂
WEEKLY DEALS FOR 1 Sep – 7 Sep 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 7 Sep!
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STAMPIN’ UP PRODUCTS USED IN TODAY’S PROJECT:
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Basic Black Card Stock: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ (card base, scored and folded at 4 1/4″)
Whisper White Corrugated Paper: 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″ (card front)
Whisper White Card Stock: 3 1/8″ x 3 7/8″ (front art piece); 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″ (inner liner)
Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper: 3 1/4″ x 4″ (first art piece mat)
Every Day Chic DSP: 3 3/8″ x 4 1/4″ (second art piece mat)
Whisper White Envelope Paper: 8 1/4″ x 8 1/4″ (envelope)
Brights Background Designer Paper: 4 3/8″ x 4 3/8″ (envelope liner)
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BACKORDER LIST AS OF 3 Sep 15
3 September
140928: Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad (821 backordered; 1,800 expected)
4 September
133680: 2014-2016 In Color 12″ x 12″ Cardstock
138288: Brick Wall Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (4,665 backordered; 9,504 expected)
140440: Ode à Noël Stamp Set
8 September
138378: Tin of Cards Project Kit
139622: Spider Web Paper Doilies
11 September
137866: Sahara Sand 7/8″ Lace Trim
14 September
138395: Expressions Natural Elements (243 backordered; 5,992 expected)
23 October
139643: Reindeer Paper Clips (1,028 backordered; 10,080 expected)
Date to be Determined
139304: Fluttering Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (76 backordered;1,368 expected)
Inky Bee Stampers
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Stamp with Amy K
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TL's Bright Spot
Awesome card Mary! Love the color scheme and your bow is very impressive!! I know that I couldn’t tie that!! 😉
If anything could ease a move to Palmdale, your card surely will! Good job!
LOL. She already lives there. Just changing job venues! But will sure cut down on her daily drive! 🙂
Mary, you hit a home run with this card. Wow, it is great. Love it, love it!
Thanks Jari – as it turned out, I did hit a home run, kind of by accident! But – I’ll take it! 😉
What a fun card, Mary! Love all the sentiments on the outside, and how you personalized the inside. I’m sure your pink-loving friend will adore it. Thanks so much for playing along with us this week at Stamp, Ink, Paper!
I hope so, Sandy – thanks! 🙂