Another something simple...

Hello again!! :)


Two posts in one day- whatever next!?! ;) Well, I’ve had a crafty week this week, though not making cards for the most part, as I spent much of the week working on a jewellery set for my Gran for her 80th Birthday which I’ll share with you all in soon :) In the meantime, this is a card I made a couple of weeks ago but have been waiting for the time and energy to post...

It was for my Grandad’s birthday and, though I was quite pleased with the way it turned out in the end, I must admit that it isn’t a bit like what I’d intended to make- in fact, it’s an entirely different design idea!! I tend to go a bit mad with cards for my relatives and good friends who I don’t get to see as a way to try to show I care even though I can’t be with them for their special occasions but this time my ideas and ambition far out-stripped the time and particularly the energy I had at my disposal :S !! I’d just got some new bits and pieces and seen a great idea I wanted to try on another blog so, when the original idea started to go horribly wrong, I made the unusually sensible decision to go back to the drawing board and I thought I’d just have a play and see what happened...

I kept all fairly simple to show off my new Nestie labels (have been wanting to get my hands on these for ages!! :) ) and my new Argyle embossing folder :) I inked the inside front of the folder with Brilliance Sky Blue ink before putting the card in to emboss- a technique I saw on TV a while ago but had forgotten about before seeing it again on Julie’s wonderfully inspiring blog- and I love the effect :) I did have a bit of trouble with the end of the card near the open end of the folder getting smudges of the colour on the embossed lines which didn’t look too good, though, but when the second piece came out the same despite making sure the card couldn’t move in the folder, I cut good bits off both pieces and stuck them together...sneakily disguised by the ribbon!! ;)

I inked the label shape through the die after embossing- something else I saw a while ago and have been meaning to try!- and then used an old Hero Arts stamp (from the first set of stamps I ever bought when I started crafting, which has been lying neglected for some time) with silver glitter embossing powder in the centre. This and the main panel are matted on some lovely linen-textured card with a matt finish. Then, as it was a male card, I just added the little bit of grosgrain ribbon- in the opposite direction to what I’d intended, to cover the join in the card but I think it turned out better like that anyway- happy accidents!! :)

There were a lot of CAS challenges around when I made this card and I'm too late for almost all of them now after taking so long to post it but I’d like to enter this card in the following challenges: My Partner In Crafting Crime – Clean and Simple :) ; Crafty Cardmakers – Step Away From The Square (although my card is still a traditional shape, seeing this challenge made me realise that I’ve made many more square cards than anything else since discovering blogland!! Strange!!lol :) ; and Ellephantastic Challenges – Anything Goes :)

Well, I’ve had another not so great couple of weeks but it’s amazing what a trip to blogland (and probably the rare treat of some sunshine, too!!) has done to make me feel better so I shall pop off now, with a smile on my face, to link those up and wish you all good week to come!! :)

hugs,