Happy Sunday!

 Welcome my friends!  Hope you're enjoying and relaxing on this Sunday.  I've already gotten my nap in for the day.  Isn't that one of the best ways to spend your Sunday?  Now that I'm all refreshed and wide awake, I feel energized to get back to work.  Yesterday I spent time working on several cards using the Sophisticated Sled Bundle.  Two are still a work-in-progress and who knows when they'll get done.  But there is one that is finished though, and I have it to share with you today.

No matter how much I want to do something elegant with this set, I keep circling around back to a country feel.  I'm not giving up though.  Don't you love this card?  It just draws up memories of going to Ojibway Park and sledding down this hu-u-u-uge hill with my siblings then standing by the warming fires to take the chill off.  Then it was the long trudge up the hill to do it all over again.  It chills my fingers and toes just thinking about it.  What pleasant memories!

OK, enough of my trek down memory lane and on to the stamping part!  This card starts with a Real Red card base that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored and folded in half.  The first layer is Crumb Cake that measures 5 3/8" x 4 1/8".  To get the texture on this layer, I used the Snowflake Sky 3D Embossing Folder.  It adds a nice bit of interest to the layer.  It's attached to the Real Red base using Tombow Liquid Glue.

The sled was made next, so I'd have it ready to figure out the layers behind it.  For some reason I really like red with this sled.  The frame was die-cut from Real Red cardstock first.  The I looked through some different papers to find a light-colored woodgrain piece I liked.  This one is from the Nests of Winter DSP.  It looked just a little too light, so a small amount of Crumb Cake ink was added with a Blending Brush.  The two wood pieces were attached to the sled base using adhesive.

For the greenery, one of the Meandering Meadow DSP background prints was a mix of greens that looks nice here.  Two pieces were cut and added to the sled with a touch of adhesive in the center.  The pieces are layered a little off-center so it looks nice and full. 

Now what to layer the sled onto.  After trying several different shapes and sizes, I tried the Countryside Corners Dies.  I just loved it with the sled.  The 2nd largest die cut the Real Red cardstock, and the 3rd largest size cut the Basic White.  That Basic White was just too white and boring.  It really needed something done to it.  The Sketched Plaid background stamp came to mind, and I thought it would be perfect.  I stamped it once with Crumb Cake ink, but it was way too dark.  The piece was flipped over (don't check the back of my card layers!) and stamped again after inking and off-stamping this time.  Oh yes, this is what I was looking for.  The two layers are attached together with adhesive.

The sled was attached to the layers with multiple pieces of Mini Dimensionals scattered over the back to hold it up well.  Then the Red layer was attached to the left side of the card front using Dimensionals for that too.

The sentiment is from the Sophisticated Sled Bundle so it goes perfectly with the sled.  The 2nd smallest die from the Countryside Corners Die set was used to cut a Basic White label.  The sentiment was stamped on this with Real Red ink off to the left side.  That same die was used again to trim off the extra on the right side that wasn't needed.  This is such an easy way to make a label that is the correct size for what you're making.  

The label is attached by tucking under the sled on the left and using a Dimensional under the right side to balance it.

Several of the Cherry Cobbler & Pearl Adhesive-backed Berries were added for color in the greenery.  It just didn't seem like enough, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do to change things.  When I thought of the Adhesive-backed Snowflake Assortment, I was afraid they would be too big for the design.  But once they were added the card really looked finished.

Hope you like the walk down memory lane and my card that embodies those memories.  I'll admit, the card took me two days and several different possibilities before it finally came together.  Don't give up if you're struggling to get your card just right.  I find it really helps to put it aside and work on something else or walk away for a day or two and look at it again with fresh eyes.  I find creating to be frustrating sometimes, but so rewarding when you finally get your ideas transformed into a special card for someone who will love it.  Keep finagling with it your creation until you get just what you want.  You'll be so happy you did.

There's still almost a half of a month to take advantage of my 50th Wedding Anniversary sale going on this month.  For any $50 you spend with me as your demonstrator, I will send you a card and a package of embellishments for you to use.  I'm sure you'll love what I send you!  If you spend less than $150, please use the Host Code shown on the top right of this blog post.  Thank you so much!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon