Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator - Coldwater, Michigan - KatheD@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

scraps adventure

Did you think we were done with Christmas cards?  Not if you've been following along at Jingle Belles Rock!

I was happy/proud/excited to send hand-made Christmas cards to everyone on our list this year, and it wasn't stressful at all, thanks to the Jingle Belles' mission to take back December one holiday card at a time!  What about you?  This year they've changed up a bit and are giving us two weeks for each of 24 prompts, so if I hope to mail 60+ hand-made cards again this year, stress-free, I'll need to make at least two cards for each challenge.

Knowing this, did I start right out at the beginning of January with the first idea, which Stef and Lauren generously posted early?  No, no, I did not.  The prompt was No Time Like the Present(s) to incorporate gift wrap or an image of present(s).  I spent a week and a half lamenting my fate that this was one of the few years I saved not one scrap of wrapping paper after the gifts were opened.  Finally it occurred to me to put away the unused wrapping paper and lo and behold, there were two or three pieces really too small for gifts that could easily be incorporated into greeting cards!  And since I had already sorted out the images of present(s) that I had available, they were also easy to incorporate:
stamp set - Polar Party; ink - Basic Black; Stampin' Write markers - Certainly Celery, Real Red, Daffodil Delight; card stock - Certainly Celery, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point; punch - Lace Ribbon border; stamp-a-majig
The ribbon-like element below the sentiment and the mat under the image were snipped from scraps of gift wrap and provided my color scheme, a little unusual for Christmas, but cheery.  The perky little penguin looked somewhat jaundiced after I stamped directly on the Daffodil Delight, so I pulled out my freshly-practiced paper-piecing skills to correct that misstep.
The layout came from Lesley Croghan's new Merry Monday Challenge at Always Playing with Paper.  WooHoo!  More great sketches!
Another new site on my list, Eat Sleep Stamp Sketchy Thursday #155 provided the layout for this card: 
stamp sets - Petite Pairs, Punch Pals; ink - Real Red; card stock - Real Red, Whisper White; punch - extra-large oval; 5/8" Whisper White organza ribbon, red satin ribbon of unknown origin, Stampin' Dimensionals
I loved that the Petite Pairs sentiment fit the oval punch - I was pretty sure I needed that stamp set because it provides matching outside/inside sentiments, but I wasn't convinced I could work with the smaller sizes - it was the only one I own that allowed me to place the oval vertically.  Noticing the glare on the gift wrap in my photo makes me think I could have used silver glimmer paper as a mat for the gift wrap and the oval.  Not that it would have helped the glare but it might distract us, and it would decrease the starkness of the design.  Too bad that was my last scrap of that wrapping paper...

7 comments:

SmilynStef said...

Way to recycle those little pieces of left-over neglected paper ... and that paper piece penguin is perfection ... so glad you had a less stressful 2011 and thrilled you're joining us again in 2012.

Lesley said...

Hi KatheD,
So happy you joined me at Merry Monday and that you enjoyed the sketch! Your card is very sweet, especially that adorable paper pieced penguin matched with the wrapping paper. Great idea! Thank you for joining me.
Smiles,
Lesley

Notes by Nina said...

Very cute card, that penguin is adorable.

lauren bergold said...

well, of course BOTH of these totally ROCK, and as usual you make me think that i personally over-think (& over everything else, too!!!) but i have to say that cute little gift-bearing penguin has completely charmed me and he really wants me to say he is my FAVORITE... i think it's too close to call, however, these are both lovely! so happy you had a wonderful december and thrilled that you are JINGLING along with us again in 2012!!! ♥

Tracy said...

Super cute! It looks like a Christmas present. Fantastic card and great take on the sketch! Thank you for playing along with Sketchy Thursday!
Hugs,
Tracy

Lacie Root said...

Glad you joined the Merry Monday too! Happy Bright colors and the penguin are my favorite.

Shelia said...

cute card. way to recycle that paper!!