Heartfeltgreetings Sketch

Okay, if you've been with me on this blog any amount of time, you've either heard me say, or you've noticed yourself, I am not big into patterned paper. For me, it's a scary thing! When I see someone who can work magic with patterns, I pay attention, hoping to learn a thing or two. And Amy Westerman is one of those magicians. She's got it goin' on! So when she recently brought back her Super Sketch Sunday feature, which is a sketch challenge with patterned paper requirements, it looked like just the thing for me. She gives a sketch and shows exactly where each pattern goes. I can do that, right?

This, my first attempt, is made from this past Sunday's sketch, which calls for FOUR different papers. I'm calling this my "crawl before you walk" card. I didn't take the #1 easy route, which would have been to pull out a pack of one of Stampin' Up's designer paper series and its coordinating set. But I took the #2 easy route, which was to pull from another manufacturer's kit. These papers all come from SEI's Dill Blossom pack, so naturally they already coordinate. Where I often stumble when using patterned papers is picking out a stamp that will coordinate, but I think I did okay here :)

A couple of notes on the card: The flowers and stems are colored over with a clear Spica. It makes for a very subtle sparkle in real life, but it's a bit too subtle for this amateur photographer to pick up with the camera. I very lightly sponged all of my edges with Close to Cocoa using a sponge dauber. The sentiment (by Verve Visual) is stamped in Old Olive on a piece of Really Rust and punched out with Stampin' Up's Key Tag punch. It's hard to see in the photo, but it says, "You inspire Me." [Tip: The stamped image panel is raised up on foam tape. For larger pieces, I like to use tape more than SU dimensionals because it has much less "give." Sometimes with the dimensionals, unless you put them really close, the larger panels start to bend and sink in places.]

And now, for the really cool part: the SEI paper came in my box o' goodies that Northridge Media sent me after they published two of my cards in the May issue of Cards magazine. Submit your work, girls (and guys) - if I can do it, so can you!!

Last, Amy, if you see this - thanks for the inspiration. I'm so happy with my card!



Stamps: Live Your Dream (SU!); Thoughtful Florals (Verve Visual)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa, SEI Dill Blossom
Ink: Old Olive, Really Rust, Summer Sun
Accessories: antique brass jumbo eyelets, sponge daubers, wide olive grosgrain, key tag punch, clear Spica glitter pen, foam tape