***Please note that after switching from several different hosts before settling on Blogger, the formatting of my pictures may not be as it was originally intended. I simply don't have the time to go back through years of posts in order to fix the orientation of the pictures. Sometimes a picture just shows a box of text in its place, but clicking on it will allow you to see the picture. Others, there may be no picture at all. I apologize.***

March 9, 2009

Great Swaps Girls swap

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Well, I can't show you this card without telling you what I had wanted to do with it.  It was an evolution in progress as I made it.  I started out running the Basic Gray CS through my Big Shot using the Top Note die, and then I was going to stamp on it using the BG stamp called Polka Dot, but saw that it wasn't in the Catalog and figured since it's not a "seasonal" stamp in any way, that surely it wasn't on the Dormant List.  I hadn't been as good at paying attention to retiring sets this last go-around so I figured I must have not noticed it.  So...my plan to stamp the Polka Dots in VersaMark and then emboss them with clear embossing powder didn't work.  I was sad.  Then I thought, "well, I can use the polka dot Texturz platethat I have."  I pulled it out and decided to go with the larger polka dots in the Texturz plates set.  Then, I had to cut all of the Kiwi Kiss Top Notes in half and layer them on top of the Basic Gray ones.  After doing that, I was going to tie a ribbon around the "seam" where the Kiwi Kiss layer ended, but discovered that, unfortunately when you try and tie ribbon around this part of the Top Note, especially when you're dumb and cut the Top Note exactly in half, it just doesn't work.  So...plan B was to paper pierce to add a little horizontal element at the "joint" to draw the focus away at least a little from the "seam".  The rest of the card should be self-explanatory and went as planned.  I did later discover, much to my dismay, that the Polka Dot BG stamp is in fact DORMANT, not RETIRED!!!  Oh well....It think it's a cute card - it is very much "my style".  After getting the other gals' swap cards though, I really wish I could be more of a Shabby Chic/lots of layers/lots of textures kind of stamper, but I'm just not....

All supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps:  Trendy Trees
Paper:  Kiwi Kiss, Basic Gray, Kraft and Whisper White CS
Ink:  Kiwi Kiss and Chocolate Chip classic ink
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Bigz Die, SU! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate, Wide Oval punch, Clear Button, Linen Thread, needle, 5/8" Striped Kiwi Kiss Grosgrain Ribbon, Paper Piercing Tool and Template

8 comments:

  1. Your card is just perfect, Marie! I loved reading the "story" of how you made it! Thanks for a great swap!

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  2. I love it Marie! I've recently become addicted to Basic Gray cardstock so this grabbed me right away! And I love how you used the clear button on the tree! Beautiful card!!

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  3. Oh my, what an adventure!! I love the card, though, it turned out great!! I was shocked that polka dot background went on dormant too, ugh!

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  4. OMG, this is sooo something *I* would pull. And I have!!!! I was going to use a set for a workshop, but since it was not in teh catalog, I changed my whole project, onlyt o find the set on the dreaded Dormant List. I so hope that list goes away when we go back to one catalog!
    Oh, and your card it LOVELY, by the way! Sometimes I think inspiration can come out of what fails us, ya know?

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  5. Love how you added the button over the tree.
    Very cute
    Sue

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  6. Love the clear button. Yeah-I had one of those crafting moments the other day except my projects were too sad to share. Be thankful yours turned out loverly!
    I just told one of my club members that the polka dot background was retired UGH! Now I must tell her it isn't!!! And I looked at that retired list I did, I really did!!

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  7. well I love it (the texturz plates are so fun), I was just thrilled when I pulled it out of my box last week. great work!

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  8. LOVE the button on the tree!

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Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment. I appreciate it and thank you for adding a little sunshine to my day.

Marie :)