Framed and Festive Card

 Good day to you!  Hope all is well in your section of the world.  My sister Connie has gone home, and I definitely miss her already.  We've had such fun creating together and that has left me with many cards to share with you that we made during the week and a half she stayed here.  I hope you enjoy sharing our creativity.  It's been a real blast stamping along with someone again.  The community of stampers is such a special blessing and I really miss hanging out with other stampers and sharing in their creativity.  There is just some special boost to creativity when you're sharing ideas and fun.  Nothing like it in the world!  That's why I miss stamping on a regular basis with all of you so very much!  Ok, time to get away from the teary eyes and mushy stuff and on to a card today!

When Connie was here, many times we would start with an idea that we planned to make the same, but somewhere along the way our cards would diverge into different directions.  This card was one of those kinds of ideas.  They were going to be the same card with the same DSP and die-cuts, but well...  What can I say?  

We wanted to use the new Fitting Florets Collection that you can order early on November 1st.  Part of the Collection is only available until it sells out, the rest will be in the next Mini Catalog.  What?!?  Yes, the Framed & Festive word set, the Gold Swirls, and the Fitting Florets DSP are only available while supplies last.  So, we wanted to make something special with these items while we still could!

Here is my version of our card.  This card uses some of the new Fitting Florets Collection that I think is so pretty!  We both started with a Basic White cardstock base that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half to form a regular card.  We used a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of the Fitting Florets 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper.   Isn't this print lovely?  We both used the largest Deckled Rectangles Die to cut the edge of the DSP to give it some extra interest.  It was attached to the white card base with adhesive.

We die-cut the frame from Evening Evergreen cardstock.  Love the crimped edge on this oval.  I set the inner oval aside for use on another project when I get around to it.  For the white oval, we die-cut the larger oval frame and just used the center.  The inside of this oval is just a bit bigger that the other and gives you a little edge to attach behind the frame we used.

The sentiment is one of eight from the new Framed & Festive stamp set.  It's stamped in Evening Evergreen ink a little over to the right side of the oval.  Had to leave room for all the lovely sprigs on the left side of the card!  After stamping the sentiment on the white oval, it was attached behind the frame with adhesive.  The ovals were then attached to the card front using Dimensionals.

The greenery sprigs are also part of the Fitting Florets Collection.  I die-cut two of the leafy sprigs from Soft Succulent cardstock.  Up to this point, I was hoping to add touches of gold to the card so I could use the Gold Adhesive-backed Swirls from the Collection, but I just didn't like the look of gold with these colors.  Now silver on the other hand was perfect!  Two of the open leaves were die-cut from Silver Foil paper and arranged with the other leafy branches.  And here is where Connie and I really parted ways in our designs.

I loved the idea of a pop of Real Red added to the card.  Don't know what I was thinking here.  Well, yes, I do.  I was thinking this ribbon was still current, but it's retired.  Drats!  Oh well...  I tied a small bow using the 3/8" Organdy Ribbon and attached it with Mini Glue Dots to the center of the greenery.  To stay with the red accents, I sprinkled five tiny Real Red Rhinestones in among the greenery leaves.  Aren't they just perfect tucked in there? 

Ok, you've seen how I finished my card.  Now it's time to see how Connie finished hers.  I'd ask you to vote on whose you prefer, but I'm afraid you'd all pick Connie's creation because it's lovely!

Here's her design that sticks with the cool, crisp green and white tones only.  Let me try to address all the differences between our cards.  First of all, something I didn't even notice before - her focal images are not centered but raised up a little higher.

Connie also used a different sentiment from the Framed and Festive stamp set.  And the little swirly doodad under Noel is from the Hello Harvest stamp set.  

Connie didn't use any of the small open leaf die-cuts, but she did cut leafy sprays from Soft Succulent, Evening Evergreen, and also Silver Foil.

She added a touch of Frost White Shimmer Paint from my retired stash to brighten the Evening Evergreen leafy spray where it overlaps onto the same color frame.  It just helped to have a little definition there.

I had made a double bow from the Silver and White Twine but didn't use it, so Connie used it on her design.  It's attached with a Mini Glue Dot.  Worked much better with her card.  

Lastly Connie used five of the Rhinestone Basic Jewels in clear to stay with the green and white theme for her card.

There you have it.  Two designs using mostly the same pieces, but each have our own creative touch added to them.  Can you see why we were so excited to use these new items?  Aren't they simply gorgeous?  The sentiments in the set are strictly for Christmas, but everything else in the collection can be used year-round.  Definitely a plus in my opinion!

Hope you enjoy seeing two ideas at a time here.  I have a few more cards that Connie and I both made that I want to share with you over the coming days.  Hope you'll check back often to see what the latest posting is all about.  And yes, please feel free to comment on our ideas.  I love to hear from you.  And I promise I won't get too upset if you like Connie's ideas better than my own.  I'll get over it!!  Thanks for sharing this time with me.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon