Another Branching Out Card

Hello friends!  Have you missed me?  It's been a comedy of errors around here and things still are not working properly.  If you haven't heard, I'm so not tech savvy!  Surprise, surprise!  I absolutely hate it when my phone and/or computer decide that I need to update to the latest information out there.  Unfortunately, both my phone and computer were updated just a couple days apart and now they aren't playing nice together.  I couldn't download my photos to the computer - it kept rejecting them and saying there weren't any pictures.  Well, with no pictures, it's kind of hard to write a blog sharing ideas.  My hubby has figured out a very convoluted way of downloading pictures, so let's give it a try, shall we?

It seems like I keep gravitating towards the Branching Out bundle every time I sit down to create.  There's just something about those pine needles and pinecones that just draws me in.  I love looking outside at all the greenery we're surrounded by and this is just a perfect fit.  I hope I'm not boring you with all these ideas using the Branching Out bundle.  If I am - sorry!  I'll be working on new things very shortly.

Here's the latest for your perusal.  This time I used Basic Beige for the backdrop of the design.  The card base measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  

On this card base, I used the Linen stamp with Basic Beige ink to give this a subtle design and extra interest.

The 2nd largest of the Branching Out layer dies was used to cut another piece of Basic Beige cardstock for the focal point.  Before there was any stamping going on, some of the same Basic Beige ink was added to the edges with a Blending Brush.  I love the shadowy edge this adds to the design.

Using the branch and pine needles die, I cut 3 of these from Mossy Meadow cardstock.  A little color was added to all three of them.  The stems were colored with a Early Espresso marker.  Then the tips of the needles were "frosted" with White Pigment ink to make it look a little snowy.  These were set aside for a few minutes to give the pigment ink a chance to dry.

A half dozen of the small pinecones were die-cut from Pecan Pie cardstock.  After cutting them, some Early Espresso ink was sponged on the tip area of them to give a little more definition.

Next the die-cut branches were placed around the top area to get the design set.  Before glueing down, I stamped the pine needles from the stamp set under the branches to fill in the design and give it depth.  Old Olive ink was used for this for a slightly lighter color.  After the stamping, the branches were attached with "green glue".  Any extra bits hanging off the edge were snipped away.  The pinecones were also attached with Mini Glue Dots as an easy way to attach.

A layer of Mossy Meadow cardstock was cut to frame the Basic Beige stamped layer.  Since the card has already been mailed out, I can't give you dimensions.  Oops.  But just measure and give the Basic Beige layer about an extra 1/4" top and side to give you a nice frame.

The Basic Beige layer was attached to the Mossy Meadow layer with adhesive.  Then this was attached to the card base using Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera Pack in the September - December Mini Catalog.  I placed this on a Cherry Cobbler scrap of cardstock, then trimmed around the greeting.  I think this set the sentiment off nicely.  It's attached to the card front using Dimensionals.

Now for you purists that only want current items, time to look away because I dug out some retired goodies.  The pearls are from the Festive Pearls from a year or two ago.  I just love these scattered throughout the design.  

Lastly, I found a Cherry Cobbler ribbon that's edged in gold.  It's only 1/4" wide and just the perfect finish for this card.  It's attached with a Mini Glue Dot.

That's it for today.  So sorry for the craziness that kept me from posting.  I made sure I took pictures of a couple new cards, so I'll be able to post those without bugging my hubby to help me with the next batch of downloaded pictures.  I know this is rather late for Christmas cards for this year.  But just a thought here.  I think changing the Cherry Cobbler color on this card to maybe a blue instead and changing the greeting for a birthday, this would be a great masculine birthday card.  What do you think?

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

 

Reason for the Season Card

Hello folks!  Hope you all had a very blessed Thanksgiving this year with family and friends.  Right now, I'm so thankful that it's all over and I'm feeling more like myself.  I came down with an intestinal flu bug that wiped me out last Monday.  That means it's been a week, and I'm still worn out and barely getting anything done at all.  I was working on a design before this all happened and decided I'd share this with you.  Since I can't decide which one I prefer, you get both versions.   Then you get to decide which you like better.  OK?

The set I used here is A Child is Born.  I really love the simplicity of this set!  I've used this set several times playing around and it just keeps calling me back again and again.  Looking at the picture of the card, the images remind me of a snow globe because of the placement of the sentiment.  Hmm, just more ideas floating here.  I think I have an old snow globe stamp from a good number of years ago.  I'll have to get it out and see if they work together.  Oops.  Sorry for getting off track here.  Let's get on with the design...

The 'family' is stamped onto the largest circle of the Stylish Shapes Dies.  It's cut from Basic White cardstock and then stamped with Secret Sea ink.

To frame this, I used the 2nd largest circle dies from the Spotlight on Nature set.  It has a pretty eyelet design around the circle that just barely showed behind the white layer.  This layer is die-cut from the Peaceful Garden Glimmer Specialty Paper in the darkest color.  When I hold the finished card, this sparkles so pretty, but the camera just doesn't do it justice.  These were attached together using Tombow Liquid Glue.

The next step is to make the card base.  Basic White cardstock was used here.  It's cut at 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and folded in half.  There is a Basic White layer that measures 5 1/4" x 4" that the background is built on.

The pretty DSP that was used is from the Peaceful Garden DSP.   I already had a strip of the starry print cut that was 1 1/2" wide.  This was cut to two 3 3/4" lengths for the design.  The center 'cloudy' layer measures 1 3/4" x 3 3/4" to fit into the design.  The three strips were positioned and attached to the Basic White layering piece using the Liquid Glue.

The white layer with the strips attached was then layered onto the folded card base.  Dimensionals were used for this to give it added definition.

Next the main image was added to the center of the design.  It was attached with Dimensionals.

The sentiment comes from the same set.  It's stamped on a 1/2" strip of Basic White using Secret Sea ink.  It was trimmed and the ends were flagged.  A skinny strip of Dimensionals were added along the center of the strip.  Then it was attached over the bottom edge of the circles.

Silver and White Sheer Ribbon was tied into a bow accent.  This was attached at the top of the circle with Mini Glue Dots to hold in place.

Lastly, three small Iridescent Pearls Basic Jewels were sprinkled on the design for a lovely accent.  

And that's the first one done.  I really liked the design and thought it would make sense to make another one right away to build up my Christmas card stash.  Well, that's when things started changing a little here and there.

I already had the 'family' stamped and both the white and glimmer layers die-cut.  So, I jumped right to the card base.  The base is still Basic White and folded in half like the first card.  The same white layer was cut to place the layers on.

The layers were again from the Peaceful Garden DSP pack.  While looking through the papers, this leafy print really called to me.  I thought I'd see how this went with the design.  To me, it really worked nicely.  This time, there was a 1 1/4" strip left over from another project.  This was trimmed to 3 3/4" long twice for the top and bottom layers.  This made the center opening wider, so a piece was cut at 2 7/16" to fit.  (2 1/2" was just a smidgeon too wide to fit so I adjusted it.  You could really use 2 3/8" to fit too.)  These layers were attached to the Basic White layer with Liquid Glue.

So, you need to tell me what you think.  I really love this design and think I'd like to make more to send out this year.  Do I make more of the first or second card?  Use the starry print or the leafy print?  Have the layers closer in size like the 1st card or have the center layer wider as in the 2nd card?  Oh dear, so many choices and decisions.  Please help and share your input with me!  Leave me a comment on which one you prefer.  I'm looking forward to hearing what you think.

Thanks for sharing some precious time with me.  I'm so blessed that you do.  I always appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment too!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon