IC534: Audrie Did It Again

Audrie, who hosts the Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoast, found an amazing board on Pinterest for this week's challenge. Peg Schoenfelder put together over a thousand pictures of minimalist decor that are a treasure-trove of ideas that can be used on cards.

Here's my first card for the challenge, which is based on THIS PIN.

Obviously, I took the idea of the negative space from the oval window and used the colors from the photo. After stamping the branch and leaves, I realized the view didn't quite pop as much as I wanted, but sponging some Memento New Sprout over the space helped a lot.

There will be more cards sprouting from this challenge, you may rest assured. What fabulous inspiration!

And while we're on the subject of Audrie, let me share with you the last card I received from her. She offered to let me pull her photo of it from Splitcoast because my own photos just weren't doing it justice.

Photo from Audrie Magnogordon

Remember that "white" space doesn't have to be white. That's really just a misnomer for "empty" space. Audrie uses a lot of textured black card stock in her card making, as you can see if you scroll through her gallery at SCS. I can't remember the last time I used black, but perhaps I should pull some out and play a bit. There may be a sheet or two hiding in my hoard somewhere!

Not only is this card simply stunning...it came in a stunning envelope showcasing Audrie's amazing talent as a calligrapher. (Note: I took these two photos and blurred our addresses. After I went to the trouble of blurring mine, I realized I've plastered mine all over the interwebs anyway, so it was pointless!)

Check out her calligraphy! If I remember correctly (it's been years since I dabbled in calligraphy myself), she's using a Copperplate script. I NEVER could master the swirls and flourishes without my dip pen spitting ink all over the place. Audrie's are perfection!

The whole package, in fact, was perfection, and it made me feel both honored and humbled to receive it.

Thank you, Audrie, for your kindness and generosity. You are a treasure!



Supplies for my card
stamps: Clearly Besotted Paired Up, Papertrey Keep It Simple Thinking of You
ink: Hero Arts, Memento
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: dimensional tape, oval punch, sponge

A Spot of Color

As I type this, I'm reminded that my husband's call sign when he flew with the Air Force was Spot. He has a small white spot on the back of his head...and the hair that grew from it was also white. I was Mrs. Spot. Also, The Creature.

But that is a story for another time.

Anyway, staring for a very long time at Flower Garden, a set from Hero Arts, gave me the idea for this card.

This served the purpose of ticking off a bunch of the stamps in the set as "used." Only after they've all been used can the set join my hoard collection. This didn't use all the stamps, of course, but it freed me from the intimidating pressure of making a gazillion cards with this set's numerous small flowers.

Sets like this one are so much fun, even if they do overwhelm my sensitive CAS sensibilities.



Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts Flower Garden, Papertrey Happy Trails
ink: Memento Luxe
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: rhinestones

The World Can Never Have Too Much Kindness

The Hero Arts' set Acts of Kindness is the set that keeps on giving. What an easy set to work with, so much goodness!

This sentiment with color-able letters is simply splendid! I colored the heart on the envelope and the letters with a red Sakura Stardust pen, and the shimmer and sparkle are so very fun!

Happy, happy, joy, joy!!!

Go forth and spread kindness today and every day. Because it's the right thing to do.

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts Acts of Kindness
ink: Memento black
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: dimensionals, Sakura Stardust red pen

Confetti

Nothing much to say about today's card except that it's more proof you really need to take a look at the Acts of Kindness set from Hero Arts.

Seriously.

Eeep!

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts Acts of Kindness
ink: various pink and purple dye inks, Memento Luxe black
paper: Papertrey white

Getting Punchy with a Side of Artistic Tension

While poking around at Marco's Paper the other day, I came across a bunch of Tim Holtz punches that were new to me.

Punch Heaven!!!

A few leaped into my basket, and one found immediate use when I got home. This card combines the Holtz branch punch with a Martha Stewart hydrangea punch.

Here's a little close-up.

The contrast of the delicate--yet bold lime green!--branch and the solid, dense hydrangea blossom makes me so happy! Those subtle contrasts can enhance the visual interest of a card by creating tension...based on the theory that opposites attract.

In this case, they certainly do. Yet the result is harmonious and balanced. It feels like magic, but it's actually the result of color balance and line. Honestly, I rarely get the balance this right, so I did a happy dance when this card came together!

Take a look at your punches or dies and play around with ways you can create this sort of tension in a card of your own. It's fun!

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts Acts of Kindness
ink: Memento Luxe black
paper: Papertrey white, assorted colored card stock
accessories: Martha Stewart hydrangea punch, Tim Holtz branch punch, glue pen, rhinestone

Two New Cards and One New Car

Another set I bought in my last Hero Arts order was Acts of Kindness. What a great set, and the sentiments really speak to me. Their font combinations are fabulous and large, so they can carry a card. Here are two cards using the same layouts with different sentiments and different accent stamps (both of which are from Hero Arts Flower Garden set). I was surprised at how different the two cards feel because of fonts, colors, and embellishments.

Well, I suppose changing that many things should change the feel of the cards. Duh.

But I'm still surprised.

For the first, I colored the outline flower with red Copics and added a gold half bead. The stamped panel is edged with a gold Prisma metallic marker. I added the panel without popping it on craft foam (those half beads are kinda large).

The second card is lighter and shinier, with all that pink bling. The sentiment's cursive, handwritten font is just fabulous. This stamped panel is raised on craft foam, which gave weird shadows and makes the silver lining of the lower edge look washed out. Actually, it's the same as the lining on top.

I just love this layout as a way to focus attention on very cool sentiments!

And now for the new car...

George, God bless the man, got on the phone, did some dealing, and got me a replacement for my totalled 2013 Mazda CX-9. The replacement (a new 2015) is black, which was my last choice for color, but given that this was our very best car-buying experience ever (in and out in 40 minutes!), I'm so very grateful and relieved.

It's essentially the same car that was totalled, except it has a sunroof instead of rear-seat entertainment package. Jack is the only one in the family disappointed by the change.

So, YAY!

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: Memento Luxe black, Memento black, Impress Fresh grass
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: Prisma metallic markers, craft foam, gold half bead, pink rhinestones

One Small Set: Day 4

Well, my car was totaled. Ugh. May it rest in peace...or be recycled at the junk yard. Whatever. I'm sad. It was a very good car. Here's the damage.

Hard to believe this is totaled. But it is. Poor thing!
It served us well.

On to happier things. Here's the last card (for the time being, at least) using the Spring Hello by Lia Griffith set from Hero Arts. I just wanted to play around with the little bird and chipmunk stamps.

May you have a lovely weekend. We'll be at the Special Olympics Bowling Tournament tomorrow. Jack will try to "be the ball." And we'll drive some cars in preparation for replacing my poor, smashed Mazda. *sigh*

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: various pigments
paper: Papertrey
accessories: craft foam, Copic marker for border