Thursday, January 14, 2010

Punch-A-Tree

It's your last day to comment on the give-away post. Comments close at 9:00 eastern time tonight, and I'll announce the winner shortly thereafter.

I bought a punch of a tree trunk and bare branches a few months ago and finally pulled it out Tuesday night to make something. My first two cards did not go so well. Trust me. Bleck.

And on a side note, methinks I need a tutorial on using Flower Soft. I own five jars of the stuff and haven't made ANYTHING with it that I would show you, even for comic effect. Just sayin'.

Then, I got the bright idea of punching the tree and flowers and making a spring tree. YES!


The tree trunk is punched out of brown Bazzill cardstock, and the flowers are punched from SU's pretty in pink and regal rose. I put a small half pearl in the center of each flower, using my craft knife to lift and place each one. I can't believe I used so many pearls on one card, but OH MY GOSH...it was so totally worth it.

Still, I do think the tree looks like a 1950s flowery bathing cap on a hat stand. Am I alone here?

Supplies
stamps: PTI Mixed Messages
ink: Palette dark chocolate
paper: Bazzill brown; SU pretty in pink, regal rose; PTI white
accessories: punches, glue pen, self-adhesive half pearls

51 comments:

  1. OMgoodness....you are tooo funny...I just lol. Bathing cap! I remember those. I like your card and didn't have an image of a bathing cap in my head at all. I love the spring cards as it makes me feel like winter won't last forever.

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  2. Well, this is just LOVELY. Hmmm....bathing cap? I don't think so, unless the flowers are made of rubbery lycra and they wiggle when you shake them. No, just a lovely spring tree. VERY lovely. Makes me smile just looking at it!

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  3. I just have to say that bathing cap never even entered my mind ... well until I read your post (and I do know which ones you're talking about). It's gorgeous!! And I love the sentiment tucked under the tree.

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  4. i love it! i think i'll go off and copy cat ya right now!

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  5. Hi Susan, I love your card and comparison to the bathing cap! That is not what came to mind, but it did make me laugh! Great card!
    Krista

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  6. Hm-m-m, why do I think I'm dating myself if I totally agree with the bathing cap thing? Of course, it was my GRANDMOTHER who owned such a fancy bathing cap, not me!

    I do love the card though!

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  7. Fabulous...I know I have that tree punch around here and more than likely I have an appropriate flower punch...probably not enough pearls but I have Pearl dimensional paint from Ranger so I can see I will trying a few of these cards this weekend!
    I am also in need of a Flower Soft tutorial-I get more of a flower "clump"effect -nothing soft about it!

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  8. This is perfect for the cut it out challenge! It's gorgeous. The color selection also rocks! Thanks so much for your blog I learn so much.

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  9. It looks gorgeous, and yes the bathing cap resemblance is strong!

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  10. A little bit of bling never hurts even if it does look like my mom's old bathing cap! I personally love the card but can you tell me where you found that tree punch, or who makes it?

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  11. I remember those bathing caps. But no, I think your tree looks like a tree. A very pretty one, too.

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  12. Ok, I totally laughed out loud with the bathing cap comment. I love the card and I love that you used so many pearls. Just means you need to replenish your supply!

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  13. I saw a gorgeous spring tree... right up until you mentioned the bathing cap! LOL! Fabulous card!

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  14. Susan,
    ouch yes I do remember those caps, I think mine was yellow AND cause I save everything I can probably find one in my "well, it might come back in style" pile
    blessings
    patti moffett

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  15. This is really beautiful! I love the pink flowers and their centers are just the right touch. Beautiful job.

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  16. I didn't until you mentioned it, lol. It's a very "pretty in pink" tree. I love it!!

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  17. love this tree, susan!
    i also laughed outloud!!
    absolutely looks like a bathing cap. you are a hoot!!
    marty ferraro

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  18. I love the pink flower tree. I love it! One of my favorite cards. Those half pearls are gorgeous. I need some!!!

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  19. SUSAN! I'm shouting at you again because this card is SO PRETTY!! I can't stand it! I totally love it! The two colors of flowers, the pearls, the placement of the sentiment--it is all perfect!

    And you were also funny when you said you wouldn't show us your Flower Soft things even for comic effect--LOL!

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  20. I hadn't thought of the bathing cap till you mentioned it, but now that's all I can think of. You are so funny and clever!

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  21. This is gorgeous! What a phenomenal creation!

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  22. I love this tree. I know I'm going to try it.

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  23. Fantastic tree and I didn't see a bathing cap at all until I read it in your blog and now that's all I can invision! Yikes!

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  24. Oh I wish I hadn't read the bathing hat comment ..... thats all I see now!! You are tooo funny and so talented ... great card.
    TFS

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  25. absolutely it looks like one of those bathing caps ~
    your card is beautiful and quiet and oh, so perfectly pretty. :)

    imagine my thrill when i saw that YOU had left a comment on my own bitty blog today!!
    did you notice that you were already included in my sidebar of awesomeness??

    i love your style, and your courageous devotion to simplicity.
    oh. and your cards ROCK!!!

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  26. Thanks for the laugh. I didn't see the cap at all 'til you mentioned it! I still love the tree and flowers though--very pretty--and original.

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  27. Oh hahahahaha. My hubby wants to know what I am laughing at. Listen girl, if I had to be stuck on an elevator with someone, guess who it would be??? Don't hate me for being selfish. Hey, we all have our issues. Keep those cards coming. Your minimal designs refresh my soul. Sharon NJ

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  28. If you hadnt metioned it I would have never seen the bathing cap, but you know what I love those old bathing cap. Wouldnt mind one myself but I think the hubby and kids would.

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  29. LOL! I did not think of a flowered bathing cap until you blogged about it. This is why you are our fearless leader! I love the card, and if I do that eye thing (remember the 3D pictures?), I don't see a bathing cap at all.

    BTW, if you find a tutorial on Flower Soft, please post a link. I just bought a jar yesterday, thinking it would be easy. Now I am worried...

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  30. I did not see a bathing cap at all, I saw a harbinger of spring!
    This is so beautiful and I am wondering if you have any pearls left after this.

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  31. When your lovely tree was transformed into a bathing cap, I'm sure it was yelling, "No, Susan, stop! Now I'll never be a tree again."

    After laughing out loud, I realized that the bathing cap was here to stay. It really was a lovely tree while it lasted.

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  32. Well I didn't think it looked like a flowered bathing cap until you mentioned it!! I thought it looked like a beautiful cherry tree in bloom. This would make a good Rosarch (spelling?) picture! I still think it is beautiful!

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  33. I snorted out loud when I read your bathing cap comment, but before that, I gave a happy little sigh. What a great design! Love the mix of colors and the positioning of it all. Quite nice!

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  34. Oooh now that sounds like a fabulous punch! Might have to keep my eyes peeled for it ;D
    Your tree is so pretty! Loving the pearls!
    I didn't think 1950s bathing cap until you said but now I can't get it outta my head LOL! Well it's another use for that flower punch anyways!
    x

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  35. Anonymous,

    The tree punch is by Marvy Uchida.
    ----------
    Kay,

    You may have better luck with the Flower Soft than I have had. I'll go looking for a tutorial soon, though, 'cause I have now spent too much money not to use the dang stuff.
    -------

    My apologies to all who can now only see an bathing cap on this card. I didn't mean to ruin it for you. I can see a lovely tree and a bathing cap and revel in the double meaning of it. After all, I'm a literary critic, and we deal in ambiguity all the time. We're also deeply weird.

    Blessings,
    Susan

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  36. teehee, yes, NOW it looks like a bathing cap. Maybe... don't write the idea in the card when you give it to someone? :P Or, I know, give it to someone too young to know wht you're talking about??? :D It _is_ a lovely card.

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  37. Okay, now that you say that I can't think of anything else. But before you said that, I thought, "Wow, what a cool punched card!"

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  38. Bathing cap, tree, whatever it is, it is very, very cute.

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  39. I did not make the cap connection until you pointed it out. Now that's all I see. :)

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  40. Your spring tree is so pretty, Susan!! I love the pinks, and the pearls!!

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  41. ok, first, i love this card! and now that you mention it, all i can see is that silly swim cap.

    and i've been mia for a few days, so i missed you gushing over thru the trees. love.it. i'm not getting it until next month, but i just had to chime in and agree about how amazingly breathtaking it is. the girl's a genius. can't wait to see what you do with it.

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  42. You're a riot.......those bathing caps are a precious memory! Love the card and will practice using that much bling because it looks sooooo extravagant but really isn't.

    Thanks!

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  43. I have a smaller version of that tree trunk punch that I have only used as a bare tree. How clever to add flowers and pearls to make it a pretty spring tree.

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  44. "OH MY GOSH...it was so totally worth it." It was soooo worth it. I LOVE this card!!! And it is easy to remember the bathing cap. My stepmother still wears one!!! She loves them and says they really work! Thanks for showing us your beautiful card!!!!!

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  45. Didn't see the bathing cap image until you mentioned it - now that's all I see - LOL!

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  46. I love the tree but I'm still giggling at the bathing cap comment. My mom (and grandma) had them and my sister and I use to dress up as 'old folks' and wear them. We were having some silly fun!
    I bought the polar white flower soft and there it sits, oh so still. One trick I learned was to pinch off some and fluff it up before applying it. It worked better! I saw somewhere that someone 'shaved' syrofoam balls to get the same product and even coloured them! I'll try and find the link for you :)

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  47. Susan, I'm not sure if you noticed the pinking hearts border punch found in the new SU! mini, but if you took the tiny hearts from that punch (in red and pink) and added it to your bare tree punch you could create a beautiful Valentine's tree! Impress has a Valentine card on their website that shows a baer tree stamp paired with a heart spray stamp. Just a cute way to turn one card design into a new card. Oooh, and I just bought SU!'s Branch Out, so I have my very own bare tree I could embellish... Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful ideas with us! <3 Miriam

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  48. Gorgeous card! I'm definitely going to try this and I hope my bathing cap looks as good as yours. You cracked me up!

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  49. I think the card is lovely. I do remember those bathing caps. My aunt had one that had fake bangs!

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  50. ...perhaps it's one of those "illusion" cards, the more you look at it the more you see!
    Anyhow, I think it is just gorgeous, so gorgeous th I had I had to leave this computer & go & make one!
    THANK YOU for sharing your beautiful art work, I find it very relaxing to see all your cards etc & also very inspiring!
    Keep it up:-)
    Hugs from Sunshine, New Zealand

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!