When I first saw this challenge, I realized that I haven't used many brads lately, so this was fun! I have hundreds of brads in my stash: big brads, little brads, round brads, square brads, matte brads, shiny brads, rhinestone brads, multicolored brads...you get the picture.
I chose to make a black and white Christmas card using the small snowflake from The Snowflake Spot set from StampinUp. The sentiment is from PTI's Silent Night. I punched out the snowflakes with a 1" circle punch, stuck a rhinestone brad in the center of each, and attached them over the sentiment with dimensionals. The ink was Palette Noir, and the paper is, of course, PTI white.
Simplicity Tip: Several people have asked me lately how I get such precise placement of items on my cards. Sometimes, I will place a clear ruler down on the card to get placement precise, especially if I'm working on a single line of items. Usually, however, I eye-ball it, but there are a few things I do to help get the eyeballing right. (I think I just made up the word eyeballing, but it sounds kinda dirty, doesn't it? Or is it just the gutter-minded English major in me sneaking out?)
Anywho, back to lining stuff up. First, I work on a giant green quilting/cutting mat that has a one-inch grid marked on it. I center up the card on the grid and place all the elements for the card where I want them using the grid for reference, adjusting as needed until each element is where it needs to be.
Then, I remove ONE element, put a dimensional or glue on it, and using TWEEZERS, place it back where it belongs. Because everything else is still in place, it's easier to get placement of each piece right. Tweezers allow me to work with small objects very precisely without messing up the other, laid-down elements on the card. Then I attach each other piece until everything is stuck on, and I'm done.
I hope this helps. It's much easier to do than to describe!
Edited to correct size of punch!
My jaw has just hit the floor over this one Susan! Jo x
ReplyDeleteSimple and perfect! Thanks for the tips.
ReplyDeleteSimplicity...couldn't be easier when YOU explain it. I learn so much when I visit you blog
ReplyDeletethanks for your generousity
blessings
patti moffett
This is so crisp, clean, and beautiful!! I love that snowflake image!! Thanks for the great tips!!
ReplyDeletei like this, so elegant.
ReplyDeletewhat a magical card. striking!
ReplyDeleteblack and white christmas card. excellent! it is, as the others have said, stunning, striking, elegant. i love your cards. have i said that before?!! thanks for sharing, susan.
ReplyDeletemarty ferraro
Elegant simplicity at its best!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! I was really inspired by your card and made my own version. You can see it here
ReplyDeleteIt was really fun to read how you place your itemson your cards. I use exactly the same method. I love my tweezers and couldn't make a card without them!
Greetings,
Larissa
Simplicity at its best! I'm subscribing to your fantastic blog through Google Reader, so I don't miss out on any of your wonderful creations!
ReplyDeleteD'OH! All these years, I've covered the cutting mat with cheapest typing paper I change after I've messed it up with ink and glue, without ever thinking how handy the mat could be to help with placement.
ReplyDeleteThe Christmas swag card you made using 6 little punched out pine branches pushed me to try the mat and tweezers this morning. MUCH easier. Thanks very much.
I love the snowflake card!
Is Grady home yet?
Bahb,
ReplyDeleteNo, Grady is still in the NICU. He can't regulate his body temperature yet, but that's the last hurdle he must jump before going home. He's really doing very well. Thanks so much for asking!
Susan
I am in love with this card!!!!! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYou and I are very similar in how we do placement. I also use a ruler or my quilt cutting mat to measure placement and I also put things down in a "dry run" then pick up only one at a time to adhere so they stay where they need to. I'm quite OCD about things being places as precisely as possible and have been known to adhere, pull off, ahere, pull off... several times until I'm either happy with the placement or I have destroyed the card from tearing pieces off too many times.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeously elegant simple card. Beautiful, love it! The bling is perfect.
ReplyDeleteSimple and lovely. Just what we've come to expect from you. I eyeball things, too, but you can usually tell when I do it!
ReplyDeleteI especially love this one, Susan, for how clean, neat and simple it is. I use SU! grid paper on my work surface and use exactly the same process for alignment when I need something precise.
ReplyDelete