Saturday, May 1, 2010

Everyday Classics Spectrum Card

Stamps like this little cupcake from PTI's Everyday Classics set bother me. It's small and therefore annoying to cut out. It's also all one stamp of photopolymer and therefore you can't use markers on it. (Clear stamps always come out blotchy for me when I use markers.) Just thinking about masking and inking the icing and bottom of each cupcake separately gives me a headache. So basically, the whole thing needs to be one color, which makes it tough to keep interesting.

That's when two design solutions come in handy: repetition and spectrum color. Creating a spectrum automatically organizes lots of visual stuff quickly, keeping it orderly and pleasing to the eye. Imagine how weird the card would look if I switched red and green. Our brains expect to see violet-blue-green-yellow-orange-red, and when they do, they are happy. But too much predictablility is boring, too. So I decided to use my larger SU oval punch and set the ovals on end for a little unexpected shape. The bling dresses this card up as well.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love bling? How happy I am that I am blessed with bling in every color of the spectrum? How I hyerventilate when a color starts running low?

Well, I do.



I hope everyone is enjoying a fabulous weekend! I'm playing with some new stamps from Hero Arts and can't wait to show you the results next week. I'm coloring (I KNOW...you are incredulous!) and cutting and oh my gosh it feels so easy and good. Happy sigh.

I love this hobby.

Supplies
stamps: Everyday Classics (PTI)
ink: Memento
paper: PTI white
accessories: SU oval punch, dimensionals, bling
card size: 3.75 x 7.25

26 comments:

  1. Susan, this is so pretty! I love the spectrum of it, of course. And the little cupcakes are just so delicate and cute. The oval shape is a great departure, and a welcome one, to the circles & squares I always use. It all comes together to be a bright, pretty, unusual card --- just what we expect you to come up with. Thank you again!

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  2. Awesome card! Absolutely love it. Thank you for sharing.

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  3. Terri (blindstamper)May 1, 2010 at 8:35 AM

    You are brilliant...wonderful problem solving...needed those colors on this stormy Saturday in Ohio!

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  4. That is such a cheey card!! Great idea too :-)

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  5. Perfection!!! Susan G.

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  6. First - I love this card - and all your cards! I'm definitely a groupy!

    Speaking of bling - have you ever used the Hot Fix tool? If so, what is your opinion? Pink Hegehog Paper Crafts has a deal on the tool right now with a variety of gemstones. Like you, I love to have bling in EVERY colour, just in case! I don't have a lot of gems so I'm drawn to this deal, but not sure if it is a tool I need.

    Thanks for your help,
    Kim

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  7. Fantastic card! Nice and bright.

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  8. This is so cute and cheery. My, those Memento inks look like they work great with clear stamps. I'm hearing so many good things about them. My Michael's and LSS don't carry them, so I ordered a few online this week.

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  9. I always read every single word that you write, so it's even more fun to see the actual card! I think this is so cute and happy! Makes me smile! Great card - thanks for the inspiration!

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  10. I've always loved a rainbow of colours on cards and yours is spectacular. This card makes me happy!

    You use the PTI 110 lb cardstock, right? I'm thinking of buying some and wonder how it works with punches, considering it's heavyweight.

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  11. You always come up with the most creative and interesting ideas. I do like the rainbow effect of the cupcakes and how you used the narrow oval punch to frame them.

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  12. Love these vibrant colours! The oval framing is great - simple and clean yet so eye-catching. Every time I see a rainbow card I love it; I really need to sit down and create some too...

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  13. So colourful and cheery! Do you have some secret trick for punching out each cupcake so they're all perfectly centred, or do you just have that kind of exacting eye? ;)

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  14. Awesome spectrum card! Have a great weekend!

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  15. Amazing use of color, Susan! Happy Saturday!

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  16. Just gorgeous!! My eyes and brain found the results very pleasing.

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  17. fabulous simple card! love it!

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  18. Is this ever pretty! I love the rainbow, the bling, and those ovals.

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  19. The precision blows me away EVERY time. A T-square, Centered Ruler, Quilting Ruler and a set of four rulers meant to make frames perfectly ......STILL a series is a struggle, UNLESS it's squares all butted up against one another.

    Yesterday's tea cups cannot have been easy, but there they are, all perfectly placed. YOU are a marvel! And even more so because you make cupcakes rise above the zillions of cliche cupcake cards everywhere these days.

    Thanks for sharing.

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  20. Hi Susan. Please stop at my blog and pick up your Sunshine Blog Award! Hugs, Harriet

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  21. what a clever idea and it looks amazing. I have this set out on my desk trying to figure out what to do with my not so favorite cupcakes and you just knocked it out!!

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  22. Clever, clever, clever ... this is one awesome card.
    Your ability to make the ordinary extraordinary never fails.
    This is so clean & crisp and using oval mounts is sooooo imaginative.
    Perfect bling too ... I feel a need to buy some bright coloured gems;)
    TFS

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  23. So beautiful! Love the rainbow of colors.

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!