Why, oh why is it so difficult for me to make a decision about what to stamp? I see so many fabulous ideas out there that I want to try, but where do I even start?
Ever felt this way? Well, I decided to fall back on one of my only-child childhood tricks to get me moving in the right direction…make a game of it. I tried the ole stand-by, "Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe." Oh come on! You know it works! That's how I chose which card to CASE!
The winner was a cute little card by Kimberly Van Diepen, of StampinByTheSea, who happens to be the #1 Demo of the Year, and the set she used was the Playful Pieces Level 3 Hostess Set. Here's her card:
I love the simplicity of this card, but mostly, I loved the idea of stacking the images to create presents. Look at all the little pieces and parts you get in this set! You can mix and match them to create all sorts of cool images: trees, flowers, butterflies, cakes, ornaments, and so much more!
Now, I could go to work…I had an idea, a stamp set…all I needed was to choose a color combination. But, which colors to choose!? How about two different palettes…
Isn't it interesting how much color can effect the look and mood of a card? The first one, in Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie and So Saffron, is very cheery and bright, and would work well for girls of any age. The second, in Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze and Crumb Cake, is more subdued, and would work as either a masculine or feminine birthday card.
Both cards use the patterned rectangle shapes from the Playful Pieces set, and some have been trimmed down to the size of gift I wanted. I had fun with Dazzling Diamonds, too! I used the 2-way Glue Pen to add glitter to each of the presents, as well as the "Big Wish" sentiment from the Word Play set.
I needed a little bling to match the sparkling glitter, and the Rhinestone Jewels did the trick! Oh, these are SO much fun to play with and you get 150 self-adhesive rhinestones in a package! What a bargain. TIP: Use a Paper Piercer, tweezers or the tips of your Paper Snips to pick up these gems and place them on your projects. Much easier than using your fingers!
Other card supplies: Sweet & Sour DSP, retired Parisian Breeze DSP, retired Rose Red grosgrain ribbon and Kraft taffeta ribbon.
Choosing Your Project Colors
The next time you're designing your project, think about how the colors effect your overall design. And if, like me, you need a little help with choosing combinations that work well together, try out this very helpful site: My Create Ink. You'll find all the Stampin' Up! colors there, and you can create your own palette with a click of a button. Or, see palettes that others have put together.
It's also great to have all the color swatches at your fingertips to play with color possibilities. The new Color Coach is perfect for that! It has all the SU colors represented, including In Colors, plus suggestions for popular coordinating colors on the back of each swatch. It's a wonderful resource!
Congratulations, Tammy!
I have to do a shout-out to Tammy LaFaucia, who just signed up to be a part of my Too Cool Demo Team! Woohoo! She was thinking she might want to sign up after her workshop last week, and she joined us as a guest at last week's Demo Meeting to see what it was all about. I'm sure that Carmen's delicious Homemade apple pie swap was what finally convinced her! (I'll post about the pie later…)
I'm so happy to have the chance to work with Tammy. Although we met only recently, I can tell she is full of fire and enthusiasm, and I know she will make a great addition to the team! She's already off to a fantastic start with at least two bookings on her calendar and a stamping website under construction! Way to go, Tammy! Best of luck on your new adventure!
See you next time!
Angie