Long Weekends

 

Welcome, and I hope you're enjoying the long weekend. I'd like to shake the hand of the person that invented long weekends!!  Back when I was working weekdays 9 - whatever, I used to think that if we could just have long weekends every other week, or better yet, just work a 4 day week, life would be manageable.



As it was, weekends would look like this :

Friday night - collapse in front of the TV and stare at it like a drooling idiot with no energy to do anything fun
Saturday - work all day doing laundry, house cleaning and marking student work
Sunday - church in the morning, lunch, nap, finish work and maybe do something fun with the family

It would feel like there was really no recreation time at all. I thought that one extra day every weekend would actually give the opportunity for one day to enjoy family, friends and free time.

Now, of course, my time is my own to structure as I like, but doing my Stampin' Up business has kept me busier than ever.  The difference is, it's fun work to do and I can do it or not - just as I please!


However, here I am at 12:32 am, still writing a blog post!  I'd better learn to structure better, I'd say! lol




Today I wanted to show you the other card that I reworked for Technique Night this week.  Here's the original:

The main feature of this card is the embossed rose created using the Fancy Flower Punch.  The From My Heart stamp set is still in the catalogue, but both embossing folders, for the background panel and for the rose, have been retired, so I substituted a couple more current ones.

Here is the updated version:

• I love the new Pretty Print embossing folder in the new Holiday Mini Catalogue.  It worked very well on the background panel.
• I don't like the look of the Beautiful Baroque embossing folder when sponged, for embossing the rose petals.  Next time I would probably use the same one as the background.  
• Everything is sponged in Soft Suede to age or distress it.  

Here's a closer look at the rose, and a video tutorial to show you how to do it, here.

• I tied a double bow with the 1/2" Pool Party seam binding ribbon then pleated the long ends by laying a strip of adhesive and sticking the ends down with little pleats in them along the way.  
• I layered the seam binding ribbon with some Victoria Crochet Trim to add to the aged look.
• I punched some little Very Vanilla flowers using the Boho Blossoms punch and one of the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack punches.  Topped with some medium Pearl Basic Jewels, they add to the flower look.

Tomorrow, I'll give you my list of my Top Ten Products from the new catalogue!  Be sure to check for that!  

Stamps:  From My Heart (w132007; c126557)

Paper:  Soft Suede (115318), Pool Party (122294) and Very Vanilla (101650) cardstock

Ink:  Classic Stampin Pad in Soft Suede (126978)

Accessories:  Pearl Basic Jewels (119247); 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon in Pool Party (125582); Victoria Crochet Trim (118481)

Tools:  Fancy Flower Punch (118073); Boho Blossoms Punch (119858), Itty Bitty Shapes punch (118309);  Pretty Print Embossing Folder (), Beautiful Baroque Embossing Folder (130917), Labels Collection Framelits ( 125598) ; Stamping Sponges (101610).

Labels Collection Framelits

From My Heart Stamp Set

                               

Fancy Flower Punch

Pool Party Seam Binding Ribbon

Pretty Print Embossing Folder

                                    

Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack

Roses and Blues

It's hard to beat a rose for perfection.  Whether a bud or a fully opened blossom, roses are beautifully formed and many are fragrant with exquisite colour and texture. 

 

I think roses would be my favourite flower, if they weren't so perishable!  But that is like so many beautiful things - part of their beauty is that they don't stay that way very long.  You have to appreciate them while they are in their glory, or you might miss them altogether.

 

As card makers and papercrafters, we try to capture those beautiful moments, and while we can't do justice to God's creations, we can enhance our own creative projects with roses, and other flowers.

 

Here is a card that I created in a sort of moderated shabby chic style.  I don't like going over the top, but I love the vintage flavour.

 

 

I created it for the Dynamic Duos #24 challenge this week:

 

The card base is soft suede as is the matte behind the sentiment, which is from the From My Heart stamp set.  The back panel is Pool Party cardstock, embossed with the Lacy Brocade embossing folder.  I used Victorian Crochet trim with Pool Party 3/8" Seam Binding ribbon to embellish the card, as well as paper daisies.  The focal point is the beautiful embossed paper rose in Pool Party, and I have filmed a video tutorial, to show how this can be easily made using the Fancy Flower Punch, which has been made available again by Stampin' Up.

Here's the video:

I hope you'll try and make one.  It is easier than you would think.

Stamps:  From My Heart (w126555; c126557)
Paper: Pool Party (122924), Soft Suede (115318) and Very Vanilla (101650) cardstock
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pad in Soft Suede (126978)
Accessories:  Victoria 5/8" Crochet Trim (118481), 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon in Pool Party (125582); Pearl Basic Jewels (119247), Paper Daisies (119243),

Tools: Labels Collection framelits (125598); Elegant Lines embossing folder (119277), Fancy Flower Punch (118073); Stamping Sponges (101610)

Fancy Flower Punch

From My Heart Stamp Set