Season of Thanks for Global Design Project 212

#GDP212 is CASE the Designer

CAS(E), or Copy and Selectively Edit, challenges are always inspiring, and this week’s challenge is no different.

Here is the inspiration card:

I love the off-center nest stars because they create so much interest.  The little addition of ribbon on the right side is just enough for this card.  It all combines for a gorgeous holiday card.

Here’s my CASE:

 

While I chose to center this card, I can see myself creating an off-center version in my very near future, as in tomorrow.   I did create a semi-nested layer of sycamore leaves to kind of mimic the nested stars. 

This card reminds me of my childhood.  I grew up on the south shore of Long Island, and I miss everything about fall.  Central Florida does not have fall.  As a matter of fact, it reached 90 degrees a couple of days this past week.  At this time of year, I fondly remember my childhood me raking leaves into huge piles around the yard.  The most fun of the day always involved running up to and jumping into at least one pile of those leaves.  We didn’t even mind having to rake them again (or maybe we did and there’s a block in my memory).  I remember the cool, brisk weather,  how the pile of leaves smelled and felt, and how much harder it was to rake up the crushed leaves than it was the full size ones.  

The CASEing Process

I have to admit that this card did not come together easily at all.  I had stamped and cropped/emobssed the leaves earlier this week for a different card idea altogether.  I’ve been looking at those pieces, moving them around, and setting them aside again all week.  The only thing I knew for sure before tonight was that the base mat would be Merry Merlot.  That’s it.

I’d previously stamped the large oak leaf with Merry Merlot on the same color cardstock.  I used 3 different patterns from the Come to Gather DSP for the smaller leaves.  Everything else was basically leftovers from other cards. If you saw the back of all the layers before I started putting everything together, you would have been looking through the card to my desk.  As it turned out, I really like the color combination and will be using it again.

The large oak leaf and the checked one are adhered down with glue dots.  I hoped the glue dots would give just a hint of height off the base so it wouldn’t just be flat.  After dry-fitting the other three leaves, I figured out where the dimensionals needed to go.  Some dimensionals needed to be doubled, but it’s not an issue since it will be hand-delivered.  I knew I wanted a white piece of cardstock for the sentiment, but didn’t want stark white.  Therefore, I used the splatter stamp from the Gather Together set and stamped off Pretty Peacock three times each before stamping on the banner.  The ribbon is tucked up under the three smaller oak leaves and the sentiment is popped up on two layers of dimensionals.  

Finishing Touches

After adding a piece of DSP to the envelope flap and stamping a Merry Merlot maple leaf on the front, bottom left corner of the envelope, I’d finished this set.   I now have eleven of the sixteen Thanksgiving cards I need, and November hasn’t even started yet.  All is well.  Life is good.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today.  A big thanks, in advance, for taking the time to leave a comment.

Have a Peachy Day!

Sue

If you don’t already have a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, I would be honored to work with you.  Please contact me or visit my shop to order the supplies for this card.  

If you are ordering $150 or more, please contact me first so you earn all the Stamping Rewards for your order.

If you are ordering less than $150, please use the host code,  49KJF94R when prompted.  I use the combined rewards for gifts for customers.  

Supplies

Come to Gather stamp set, item # 150589

Come to Gather DSP, item # 150454

Stitched Shapes Dies, item # 145372

Gathered Leaves die set, item # 150662

Whisper White cardstock, item # 100730

Merry Merlot cardstock, item #  146979

Pretty Peacock cardstock, item # 150880

Merry Merlot ink pad, item # 147112

Pretty Peacock ink pad, item # 150083

Come to Gather Ribbon combo pack, item # 150456

Medium Whisper White envelopes, item # 107301

Stamping Dimensionals, item #  104430

Tombow Liquid Adhesive (my fav!!), item # 110755

Glue dots, item # 103683

Paper Pumpkin Specials

I am super excited about the October and November Paper Pumpkin coordinating kits!  I recieved my October Paper Pumpkin card kit on Friday!!   The November kit will be the coordinating gift tags.  So excited!  In order to recieve the November kit, you will need to sign up by November 10th.  Here’s the link for you to sign up for these kits as well:    https://www.paperpumpkin.com/en-us/sign-up/?demoid=2155072 

 

Making Christmas Bright for #GDP201

With a Fast Blink, Summer is Over for Me

It seems like just a couple of weeks ago that I was finishing grading exams and entering final grades.  I started preplanning on Monday, and so it all begins again.   During the summer, I was in my happy place, aka Blue Room, aka craft room, every day.  Blogging occurred multiple times a week.  My goal for the schoolyear is to post at least 3 times a week.  I am hoping (fingers crossed) that by posting my goal publicly I will keep working towards my goal.

In the meantime, I finally finished my card for the Global Design Project #201 challenge.  The colors are individually gorgeous, and together they make my non-traditional Christmas colors heart sing.

Here’s the challenge banner:

          Gorgeous, right?!?

Here’s the front of my card:

         

Short and Sweet

The Making Christmas Bright stamp set is a carryover from last year’s holiday catalog, and it is definitely a keeper.  

The inside of the card was a snap; the lights on the bottom, sentiment in the middle.  I used Pretty Peacock for the card base.  Since I don’t have the Merry Merlot and Mossy Meadow blends, yet (!) I used the Stamping Write Markers.  Wink of Stella is difficult to photograph, but after I colored the lights, I added a layer of Wink of Stella on the lights.  

The front of the card required more thought.  I knew I was going to use the “May Your Christmas Be” sentiment with the “merry and bright” bulbs.  I also knew I would be using the string of lights on the top.  Once again, I used Wink of Stella on the little bulbs.  Even though I stamped the large bulbs directly on the card, I restamped them on Whisper White in Pretty Peacock.  I punched out the bulbs and added a layer of Wink of Stella clear.

I stamped the tops of the bulbs in Basic Black, punched them out, then added a layer of gold Wink of Stella.  Dimensionals added the pop-up dimension I needed for the center focal elements.   

After I finished those parts of the card, I hit a creativity wall and left the card for the next night.  That’s when I added the 6 stars; three in each of the Mossy Meadow and Merry Merlot.  I thought I really needed to add a little something else, but didn’t know what to do.  After using the Merry Merlot marker to outline the edges, I was still at a loss.  Finally I noticed the Noble Peacock Rhinestones, and ta-da (!) I finally felt finished.

Final Touches

Every card needs a coordinating envelope, at least in my mind most of the time.  I used the Pretty Peacock In-Color DSP for the envelope flap.  In addition, I stamped half of a string of lights on the bottom, left front of the envelope and colored them in.

Now, my set finally felt complete.

As Always, I am Grateful for Your Time and Visit

I know there are many, many blogs written by Stampin’ Up! demos, and I appreciate the time you spend visiting mine. 

Thank you very much!

Have a Peachy day!

Sue

If you live in the U.S. and are in need of a demonstrator, please CLICK HERE to be connected to my store.  I would be honored to help you create cards using simple to advanced techniques and supplies.  Placing an order with me would also entitle you to a free copy of the Holiday Catalog being released the first week of September.