Sunday, June 30, 2013

Two Cards; One Post....Paper Smooches SPARKS Picture Perfect Challenge and MUSE #23

Whew, but it's uncharacteristically warm here; actually, silly hot is more apt and I do not cope well in the heat.  I melt - and then have a melt down.  Not pretty.  And that probably explains why my husband was only too (as in extremely *too*) happy to head off on a bike ride of exponential length,while I stayed home, in the relative cool of our home.  We don't have air conditioning because we rarely experience temperatures of this nature (28C/80 today, with a forecast of 36C/97F by Wednesday. Seriously!), but at least I'm not out - as I was yesterday - feeling like a solar panel soaking up the rays.  Of course, since I'm 'trapped' inside (by design, of course.  Win-win for both of us), I needed to bide my time doing something productive (grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning, while done, don't really count as 'productive' - although the shiny floors and sparkling bathrooms offer some sense of achievement).

Productive #1: Posting my niece's Happy 40 Months Old mini-album this morning
Productive #2: Creating and posting my PS Sparks challenge card
Productive #3: Posting my MUSE Challenge card, even though...well, you'll see.

Let's start with Productive #2:  Paper Smooches SPARKS Picture Perfect Challenge:


An almost 'stymied me' photo, but I persevered, drawing inspiration from the neutral colours, the sense of flow in the crayon arrangement, the black lettering, and "flesh."  As well, my sister-in-law called today to share news that our 16 year old niece won some pretty impressive awards at her high school this past week, so something congratulations-themed also entered into the reckoning...

Here's my simple card, with 'neutral' Flap Happy die-cut and stamped butterflies, the 'way to go' sentiment from Sentiment Sampler, chevrons I cut to replicate the crayons' tips, and for a dash of colour, some pink, because 'flesh' can be rosy-pink, too!


I think it's girly-enough to send to her...and so I will, tomorrow!

Moving on to Productive #3: posting my MUSE Challenge #23 card.  Anita's inspiration is just so lovely - simple lines and sentiments, bright colours, sparkle and that perfectly placed white space.


I won't lament how I find white space challenging *shoulder slump*; rather, I'll share my solution for 'sort of' getting around it:  make a smaller card! Score!! My card is 4 X 4 - and I've tried to capture the key elements from Anita's card: a bit of coloured base in the tag; simple lines, coloured circles, a couple of sequins, and a sentiment. (A set of note cards with this design has come to mind...maybe a down-the-road gift)


That's it for now!  I really should sit outside for a bit...absorb some Vitamin D...

Thanks so much for dropping by; please let me know you did! Your comments add such sparkle to my day!!










9 comments:

Darnell said...

Great thinking on overcoming the terror of all that white space, Carol! You've done a darling CASE of Anita's card with your love beads hanging in the rounded doorway!!

Try to stay cool. It's melting the whole west of the continent. We are having 104-110 for several days. I try to be okay with it since we don't have any humidity and we do have a/c, but it is still deflating. And all those beautiful plants I spent hours planting are so, so sad even with Mister watering the heck out of them every day. I suppose, in your case, the heat is helping to dry things up, no? I'm telling you, it's one extreme to another anymore ...

Whine over, wine beginning. LOL! We are so lucky to have a hobby to escape to!! Darnell

Greta said...

Oh my goodness, Carol! You are so darn creative! Your niece will love that darling congrats card & your MUSE entry is just ingenious! We're too hot here as well, so I understand what you're saying!

Shannon J said...

Love both! The first one is so sweet. I just love how you used the chevrons to represent the crayon points - so creative!!! And congrats to your niece as well on her awards!!! Card #2 aka Productive #3 is also just lovely! I think you have mastered the white space MUCH more than you give yourself credit for!
Ugh...the heat...I KNOW! We are sweltering out here too! It was about 31 today, and getting hotter tomorrow (but I sure hope it won't be 36 YOU POOR THING!). I HATE it too. I think we'll be sleeping in the basement tonight!!
Happy Canada Day!!

Kylie said...

C, I didn't know you had a blog! Your cards are so pretty! Love your takes on both of the challenges - very creative! Hope you don't suffer too much with the heat. Happy Canada Day! :)

Anonymous said...

These are both brilliant Carol, love those butterflies and the rosy pink splash ... your niece will love it! Now, onto your Muse card ... oh my goodness ... how could anyone possibly tell you found white space challenging ... this is so creative and clever! What a fabulous colour-dot-bedecked window ... and the bling is sheer delight! Thanks so much for playing along! Stay cool! Anita :)

Ardyth said...

I love how you created a focal point of the dots and lines from Anita's Muse! Thanks so much for playing along (and I'm sorry you had trouble with the voting - I had no idea that Inlinkz had made the voting look so different! I hope you'll have time to vote, still!)

Jenny said...

I just love your neutral butterflies fluttering up the card front..... so clever how you've interpreted the challenge photo!! The perfect card for your clever niece :0)
Sorry I'm late visiting but thanks so much for playing along with us at PS Sparks :0)
Jenny x

Savannah O'Gwynn said...

LOL!!!!!!!!!!! I absolutely love love love your story about you melting in the heat and then having a melt down! It has been super rainy here but in the high 70s and then 80s and sometimes 90s afterwards. I'm still cold! Even at those temps! Today it was 75 (during a storm) and my husband had the AC at 74... I was shivering!!!!!!!!

I love that you say laundry and grocery shopping isn't productive (or doesn't really count as productive)-- I think it does!! If I do one load of laundry a month.... I'm LUCKY! LOL!

The PSS challenge this week was super hard for me--but you NAILED it! I absolutely love love love the idea of the chevrons as the crayon tips! OH MY! That's super duper clever! LOVE! And it's perfect for your niece-- congrats to her on her achievements!

LOL! LOVE your idea of getting around "white space" is to make a smaller card! LOL! I think you've cased that card well!!! LOVE the paper that mimics the dots/lines... love the pearl and sequins! Great detail:)

Your post is full of FABBBBBBULOUS inspiration! <3 Happy Canada day-- is that how I say it? <3

Happy Dance said...

I've been AWOL...so sorry. You crack me up...getting around that white space...well, you've achieved it perfectly here. I love this card for the Muse; you've done Anita proud! And the card for your niece is so sweet, I'm sure she'll be really touched when she sees it. Wonderful cards, fun post. Bev