Friday, August 1, 2014

Birthday and Celebrate...STAMPlorations Bi-Weekly Sketch Challenge #16

Friday evening, and here I am, racing in with my entries (yes, that's plural) to STAMPlorations Bi-Weekly Sketch Challenge #16


Look at that sketch....eye-catching, rife with possibilities, a variety of 'entry' points. A most 
do-able' sketch, especially when I saw the inspired, and inspiring, DT cards. Had my mind set on playing,  dithered around with ideas, had a few 'visions' ping and...gahhhhhhhhh!!!  Missing mojo (off with Halloween shenanigans!) or something else askew, I found this sketch quite the challenge. Maybe because I was bound and determined to use STAMPlorations stamps, maybe because I was aiming for 'new' techniques (I am soooo off water-colouring for a while...) to use with said stamps (because I soooo want to do them justice), maybe because I was concerned that my cards would be copies of others'...whatever the case, I was darn near stumpified. Yes, I could have taken different directions - patterned papers, dies and so forth.  But nope; STAMPlorations, or nothin'! 

Anyway...I started with this card, where I embossed the floral strips and attempted resist water-colouring. Everyone else seems to create pretty w-c backgrounds with ease, but  moi? Hokey smokes...still, I carried on.  THEN, I cut out circles without taking careful consideration of the size of my 'intended' STAMPlorations butterflies (yes, Pa, in the event you're reading this: I did not 'measure twice, cut once'...), so my openings were tooo darn big!  Plan B: die cut butterflies that, if you look closely (not too closely though) are clear embossed with the same floral strips. Score on fulfilling my goal..and though it's not the vision envisioned, it is growing on me....


Card B - a new strategy; my stamps, of course, and an effort at ombre, using one of my NBUS SU inks. "Okay" card, but I need to work on that 'collage' look much more...time to move outside the box and let some random frivolity happen!


NOTE: Honoured and delighted that this card was selected as the STAMPLorations Bi-Weekly Sketch Challenge #15.  THANK YOU sooo much!

Anyway, cards are done,  I can put this sketch to rest (yet it still has an appeal, which means a re-visit, sometime) and find my 'officiating' gear in preparation for tomorrow's races!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

13 comments:

Greta said...

Fun to see how the sketch can be used to make very different looking cards! Love them both, Carol!

Anita in France said...

This soft watercolour background's lovely, Carol ... such delicious sorbet colours! Love the ombre panels too ... gorgeous behind the vellum butterflies! Hugs, Anita :)

Susanne Vargas said...

Love both cards! They totally rock! Who makes those butterfly dies that you use? They are so pretty!

Katie Ann Brooks said...

Love the background on the first one...wow!

Taunya Butler said...

I think your butterfly card is stunning and the bigger circles behind them just adds to the popping off the card effect that they have!! Your second card I loved with the yellow ombre effect - so lovely and well done!!

Shery Russ said...

Your first card is beautiful, Carol! I love the embossed butterflies and the super awesome background you created. (I've never thought to do something like that with the grunge floral strips!) As for the second card, I'm totally digging the ombre look! You created two totally different but both beautiful cards based on the sketch -- so I think you did those stamps justice, IMO! Hugs!

Kylie said...

You're right, Carol, this is a wonderful sketch and I love your take on it. Both cards are so lovely. :)

Marisa said...

Adore those butterfly dies!! Gorgeous us of them on both cards :) Lovely touch with the embossing on the first card and love them in vellum on your second card. Way to rock them both :)

Kim Heggins said...

Wow, what a sweet pair of gorgeous cards! Those sweet vellum butterflies are so genius my sweet friend but now surprised, you have a way with these sweet little creatures.

Taunya Butler said...

I popped back by to let you know how excited I was to see your card be chosen as the winner!! Happy dancing for you and super thrilled!! I loved this card and knew it was a winner!! Hugs to you!! Taunya

Shannon J said...

Well these are just gorgeous, Carol - both of them!! I just love how the first one turned out - your water colouring again has me oohing and ahhing!! Honestly, you are so, SO much better than you think you are!!! Love how you just went with it on that one, no matter what curve balls were thrown in your direction. Card #2 is just gorgeous, and I'm obvi not the only one who thinks so since, um, WINNER!!! No "work" needed on your collage skills - you rocked it!

Dana said...

Ok you need to give yourself more credit! I look at your cards first then read, and really both cards are gorgeous!! And I didn't see anything wrong (or not working) that you pointed out!! Keep doing what your doing!!! :)

Monika Reeck said...

Dear Carol...life is sometimes HARD...I was really having no time to visiting my lovel friend in Blog land...I wanna say CONGRATS on being the winner at stamplorations..your card always amazing and you never forget to put butterfly that card I really love and I want to have it in my hand sweety...its really have adorable colors and design you change the sketch and you are the winner yay..I am happy for you my friend...and I miss you on my one and only post last two weeks :) hope to see you there on my last post dear..biig hugs...Monika