Thursday, January 3, 2008

Garden Collage



Continuing on the same thoughts with regard to New Year's Resolutions, do you make them? I don't. I never keep them so why set myself up for a fall if I firmly resolve to do something like lose 50 pounds on January 1st and by January 3rd I'm eating an entire bag of M&M's?

But lest you think I'm a person without goals, that isn't true either. Have you heard about the new Morgan Freeman / Jack Nicholson movie called "The Bucket List"? That is what I prefer to do...make a list of things I want to do before I kick the bucket. Hopefully I'll have plenty of time to achieve my bucket list but then, that is part of the fun.

So, you ask, what does a bucket list, hollywood movies and cardmaking have to do with today's card? Well, one of my things on my bucket list is to use all of my stamps. WHAT? I have stamps I've not used? You betcha I do! Hopefully I will remedy that though. So this year I'm going through all of my Stampin' UP! stamp sets that I just HAD TO buy and then never used.

This stamp is from a set called "Garden Collage." I have another card in the making that I'll post later from this stamp set too.

To make this card I stamped the image on watercolor paper with versafine sepia ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. I emboss only to keep the ink from running when I'm watercoloring. I tend to use a lot of water on my brush and work and rework colors so the embossed image is important. I used Tombow markers direct to paper, layering colors and then blend with brush and water.

To the butterfly I added Waterfall Stickles and then once they were dry I put clear dimensional glaze on top of the wings to give them not only a 3-D effect, but also it makes them look more translucent like an actual butterfly.

The background paper is Bo Bunny. I stamped over the subtle daisy pattern on the paper with the Stampin' UP French Script stamp. I punched photo corners and then stitched away on my sewing machine: first the mats to the designer paper and then the photo corners. I wanted a leather bound feel to this so I put some burnished brass eyelets on the photo corners.

Now I love using ribbon but even though I have plenty of ribbon in my stash to match this image, ribbon just didn't seem right. I started to add jute, but wasn't satisfied with the look. Then my big bag of raffia called me. VOILA! My card was complete.

There, not in a nutshell but rather a long epic description is the creative process for making a simple card. Hmmmm...perhaps I should make a resolution...I should resolve to simplify. Oh well, despite the time it took to make the card I thoroughly enjoyed each step. Isn't that the important thing? I think so.

Thanks for stopping by!

12 comments:

  1. It's beautiful. I'll be going back to look again!

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  2. Great card! I love the colors, the stitching, and the raffia is the perfect touch!

    And I like your approach to the New Year's resolutions! :)

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  3. This is a beautiful card!!

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  4. This is beautiful. I like the way stuff blend together!

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  5. Gorgeous card, Jennifer. I need to be able to sew like you do. It's amazing.

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  6. Oh my goodness, I can't believe you have never used that stamp - I wouldn't be able not to use it, but it is my style admitted. I love everything you have done here, the colours, the PP and the little spickles on the focal image -it's perfect!

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  7. Such a beautiful card with just the right amount of embellishments. You really do have an amazing way of putting things together just so. About the bucket list...I love that so much better than resolutions.

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  8. First off, I love your rambling post. LOL. Secondly, I love your card. It's beautiful.

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  9. I love this, what a gorgeous stamp!! I would use it all the time, people would get sick of seeing my creations..lol!
    Perfect composition.

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  10. A woman after my own heart...fooey on making New Years Resolutions! Hahaha And Please, DON'T simplify. This cards is absolutely stunning and I thouroughly enjoyed reading your description of how it was made. In fact, I hung on every word of it, going back and forth to the picture of the card to see every detail. Fabulous job dear.

    Mary

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  11. Beautiful details! The raffia nicely carries one eye to the focal image...and fun work with butterfly! LOVELY!

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  12. I like a bucket list idea! And your card too. Especially the stitching on the photo corners. Another lovely card. I expect nothing less from you. LOL

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