Thursday, November 6, 2014

Traveler for The Paper Players


Have you ever had a great idea in your head that just didn't translate properly to ink and paper? That's what I was dealing with last night as I tried to finish this card and get my blog post written.  I was envisioning using the Traveler Stamp set and creating a vintage Christmas card for The Paper Players latest challenge:


I was thinking of the song, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and I wanted to use the suitcase as a focal point along with the train.  It just didn't translate the way I thought it would.  I think some of the images were too small, but after fighting with it for an hour, I was resigned to the fact that this card would be relegated to the "Close but No Cigar" pile.


  • I tried three different colours for the suitcase and two for the train.  I had them both Soft Suede at first, but they just blended in to the Typeset Specialty Designer Series Paper after I sponged the edges with Soft Suede as well.  There was just not enough contrast to make them the focal points. The Early Espresso ink worked well for the train, but when I stamped the suitcase in that ink as well, they competed.  So I opted for Cherry Cobbler for the suitcase.  
  • The background panel embossed with the Woodgrain Embossing Folder was originally Early Espresso, but I changed it to Crumb Cake because the whole card was just too dark.
  • We have no stamp with I'll be home for Christmas, but that sentiment was vital to the whole concept of the card so I created the panel using My Digital Studio and hand cut it to put on the card front.
  • You can make ribbon vintage-looking simply by spritzing it with water and scrunching it well before unfolding it and drying it with the Heat Tool.  You can keep the ribbon pleated and at different angles by laying down some Snail and arranging your ribbon the way you like it and sticking it to the Snail.
  • To make a vintage card, it is important to distress edges and sponge everything!  I used Soft Suede for sponging.
  • After photographing and editing, I thought that maybe I should have added some pearls up near the ribbon and on the sentiment.  Maybe I will and show you how it turns out tomorrow, but in the meantime, it is really late and sleep is winning the argument here!
So, good-night!  See you tomorrow for the revised version, plus another As You See It Challenge!



Click on the links below to take you to my On-Line Store, where you can read about, look at, and purchase if you wish, the products used to make this card today!


Product List

3 comments :

  1. I love that you chose this set for your vintage Christmas card too! I love the way you antiqued your newsprint paper in the background too and you cant go wrong on a vintage card with a shabby chic bow! Thanks for joining us over at The Paper Players this week.

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  2. Oh, I love this vintage Christmas card, Heather! The colors are just perfect and I adore how you antiqued the newsprint dsp! Thank you for joining us at The Paper Players this week! XX

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  3. I know just how you feel when you get an idea in your head...but truthfully, I love this little card, especially with the little bit of holly on the suitcase! That set is perfect for a vintage creation! Thanks so much for playing with my challenge this week!

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I love to read your comments and get to know you better! Thanks for adding one!