Working It Out

Today, I found this lovely card by Amy Sheffer on my Cards Pinterest board and got to work creating two very different variations on it. I loved how Amy used the large Christmas die cut to ground her scene and the asymmetry of the layout. Her level of detail is incredible, and I had no notion of matching it.

My versions are cleaner and simpler, but hers is the work of a genius.

Amy's card has a lot of movement to it...curves in the die cut, rays from the star, the bend of the tree, the subtle curvy hills she sponged in the background. My first version sacrifices all that in favor of lots of points and right angles and a very graphic style.

A2 size; Stamps: Clearly Besotted Holiday Sentiemnts;
inks: Archival red geranium and emerald
accessories: red rhinestones

It's festive, and definitely looks like I made it, but I just wasn't satisfied with it. It felt as though the spirit of Amy's card died and got painted red and green.

So I went looser, and oh, my. This might just be my favorite card I've made in at least a few weeks.
(Y'all need to know I get excited about my stuff pretty easily.)

Size 7.25" x 3.75"

For my version, I went very horizontal. That Christmas sentiment is HUGE (from Winnie and Walter's The Big, The Bold, and the Merry), and I wanted plenty of white space. The pine bough (from Hero Arts' Vintage Christmas Post) is natural and organic, flowing, wispy, and loose...the perfect complement to the loose, bold cursive of the Christmas stamp. The pine cones anchor the movement and provide a natural focal point. Finally, the soft shades of green (VersaMagic sage and tea leaves) lend softness and peacefulness.

Eeep!

I'm so glad I didn't give up after the first effort. Persistence is a VERY useful quality in a stamper. When you see a good idea, don't give up on making it your own too soon. You just never know when you'll make your new favorite card!