A challenge-ing card.. (SOS #2)

this week's challenge over at SOS is to use your oldest stamp/digi image. 

The first stamps I can remember buying* were for our wedding invitations, some 7 years ago now. There was kind of a seashell theme (Chelle, shell, hah)... Here is the stamp on the invitation (sorry about the fuzzy...). These invitations were also my first experience heat embossing and i've been in LURVE ever since. I still have that lovely pearly EP too. I heart it.

 

 Anyway. I decided to stick with the wedding-ish theme for my challenge card. I must've embossed the shells about a hundred squillion times last night... irridescent, pearly, silver... irridescent with bashful blue ink, iridescent with just versamarker... etc etc etc. then of course it would be off centre (natch), so ya, approximately a hundred squillion. This is what I came up with...

Just white card stock, then a bashful blue layer, sponged around the edges, and a smaller piece of white with the embossed image (bashful blue ink, iridescent ice EP), and some bashful blue satin ribbon. But I wanted MORE SPARKLE. so I put red tape around the edges of the smallest layer, and tried adding dazzling diamonds glitter. and well, that just looked like tape with sparkly stuff on it. Wasn't right at all. So I got out the stickles, and went to TOWN. yup, 1/4" stickle border on the top layer. tee hee. I do love it though.

As with the final image though, a ton of paper was considered. First basic grey base, with BB & silver card stock mats, but I couldn't figure out how to work in the image. Then Grey, BB & DSP, nope, still didn't work. Finally, I got away from the silver THANG, and went with white & blue, and I'm happy with the final product. I just wish there wasn't a weird mark on the bottom of the card near the centre. otherwise, i'd think it's perfect for a summer sea-side wedding. And really, being in NS, those do happen. Inside I stamped congratulations (from a SAB set, I think) in the same blue/EP combo.

*I have stamps my mom gave me that she didn't use anymore, but they're soooo not my style. this is the first that I remember buying, so I'm using that interpretation for the challenge.

Congratulations!

Wednesday night, one of my friends on twitter was asking if anyone local made greeting cards, as she was looking for something very specific, and didn't have time to order from Etsy. I asked what it was she was looking for, as I may be able to help. She wanted deep purple, and able to hold money. Then she sent me this link, and asked if I could make something similar. I was on my way to the Cave anyway, so sure, I'd give it a shot.

After some googling (did you know a dollar bill is approx 6.25"x2.75"?) and futzing with some measurements and sentiments, I came up with this (closed):

which when opened looks like this:

I used almost a full sheet of Rich Razzleberry paper, scored from the bottom at 2", 5" and 8". The bottom section folds up to make a pocket (sides sealed with red tape) and perfectly fits a dollar bill of your choosing. The "middle" section (really inches 5-8) has shimmery white card stock matted on it for writing, and then the top flap is plain, save for the heart I punched out of velcro for secure closing. (the other half of the velcro is on hte back of hte money pocket). 

I was pretty pleased with how everything turned out, so I thought I'd attempt a custom envelope to go with the custom card. I pulled out the handy MS score-board, and  after a few attempts, got a pretty nice envelope (white shimmer paper) to go with the card. I stuck some double sided tape on a scrap of the silver paper, and punched a heart out of it, and stuck it to the top of the envelope flap. When the waxy paper comes off the tape, it will be a perfect little closure for the envelope... see? Thoughts on the finished product?

more pictures...

I have been trying to get back to crafting, in anticipation of the new catalog dropping on July 1. Plus, people seem to be having babies left, right & centre, and as summer is (apparently) upon us, so are weddings & showers & get togethers.

This first card was made for a set of (girl & boy) twins that an ex-coworker gave birth to earlier this month. I love the rock & roll technique, but got a bit carried away with the sponging. oops? I used the two little ladybugs from the same set as the butterfly (Garden Whimsy) on the inside - in pink & blue, of course!

And then, I liked that card so much, I kinda case'd it myself, for my parents anniversary card. I switched it up a bit, but same idea. Nixed the sponging though, hah.

I had to make a card for my coworker who's getting married this coming weekend, so broke out my Black Tie Birdies (by Verve). I incorporated her wedding colors (cream, black & yellow), and really like how it turned out. I used SU's black and iridescent ice embossing power on the birdies, and colored the balloons & bowties with SU markers - blush, apricot & saffron.

One last card for tonight's post - this one for a friend's wedding shower that is coming up next month. I used the large SU Circle Die for the Big Shot, and a pattern from the wonderfully talented Patty Bennett. I used the wedding colors for the card, and really love how the dress turned out. I'm not 100% sold on the sentiment though. Thoughts on how to fix that?