Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Tire Tread Wall Paper?? Yes! - CAS-ual Fridays CFC92


My idea for this card (actually, a set of similarly 'themed' cards – maybe down the road…) has been percolating for quite a while. When I saw Cas-ual Fridays’ Challenge #92 - Wallpaper, thought spurred into action and here I am, with a first time entry.  You’ll quickly note my use of artistic license in interpreting ‘wall’ size, given my card is 3”X3”.   Mini-wall with mini-wallpaper… (If ‘interpretation’ had an ‘out there’ category, I imagine I’d be in placed in it…often.) 
My card inspiration is my husband, an avid, competitive cyclist (even though where we live 'winter' seems nearly year 'round!  Sometimes we have summer for…oh, maybe a month!) and a fan of Eddy Merckx, one of cycling's most prolific athletes. "Ride. Lots." is a well-known Merckx quote.  His two-word simple formula for success speaks volumes about how we become better at “anything” - by doing and practicing whatever it may be, lots. So, with my husband's passion in mind, and timely happenstance that he’s at a work-related event for the weekend, not able to see what I’m doing, my card idea came to fruition.

My ‘wallpaper’ underneath "ride" is the tire of his bike. Yes, I inked up his bike tire (while it was on his bike - silly move! There are 'smarter' and 'easier' ways of doing this, like using a piece cut from an old toss- away tire. Lesson learned!), ran it across the white card stock a couple of times, then found a 'usable' section for the background. The card seemed lonely without a companion for the 'sentiment' to make sense, so…ta dahhhh, enter accompanying envelope, with 'enjoy the...' as a link.  A few hearts added both a spot of colour and some ‘wife-ly love.’  I’m planning to tuck this into his cycling bag when he heads for his first competition – likely Mt. Hood in June – an event that will see me left behind at home, at work…sighhh.  Oh well, he’ll have a little reminder that I’m thinking of him – and I’ll have plenty of chances to watch him race as the cycling season unfolds.
Hope you "Enjoy the...Ride. Lots." bicycle-tire wallpaper. 
Thanks for stopping by.  Wishes that your day is filled with things that make you happy. Lots.

3 comments:

Sylvia Blum said...

Beautiful!!! These are soooo cute!
Thanks for joining us at CAS-ual Fridays!
Sylvia xx

Kelly Griglione said...

Well aren't you the clever one?! I'm giggling thinking of you holding the bike hostage while you're out there with your inkpad and paper. Next time take a picture! How fun would that be. Love your cards. Thanks so much for joining the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge!

Shannon J said...

Such a smart, outside the box idea!! Love the tread mark, and the thought and inspiration behind it ;) I love Kelly's comment above, and I had the exact same image running through my head! Would have loved to have seen you "in action"!!!