Trial and Error - A Stamping Story

This card started with a couple of elements - a card base left over from a stamp club project and the embossed piece - that were sitting in a pile (aka mess) on my desk.

This top card was what I came up with. I embossed the bird and perched him in the branches and used Nestabililites and a couple of circle punches to cut the rest of the elements. As much as I love that round sentiment, I wish it was about one-third smaller. It's hard to work with, and I was thinking my finished card looked pretty crappy.

It didn't look any better to me this morning either. My intention was to toss it after salvaging what I could (to add back to the pile/mess on my desktop). When I was able to remove the sentiment so easily (mounted with foam tape, no less), I decided to try rearranging things a bit and tucked half of the too-big sentiment behind the embossed pieces. It looked better, although I thought the bird looked a little out of place. The bird attached with a Glue Dot, I figured this was where I was going to lose it. Evidently the stamping gods were with me this morning, however, as I was able to pry it off without a chunk of paper coming with it. I moved the bird. Ah, better.

As I was processing the photo of my second attempt, I decided I didn't like the ribbon. I took it off. The card didn't look finished. I tried the narrow red grosgrain ribbon. Voila! I made one more little change, too, remounting the "it's your Birthday" sentiment with foam tape.

OK. I'm done, and while it still isn't a favorite, I like it better than I did last night. Trial and error is, at times, the name of the game.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Bamboo, and Cranberry cardstock; Silhouettes Creative Basics Collection; Black and VersaMark ink pads; Black embossing powder; Impression Obsession A Little Birdie Told Me stamp set; Ribbon from Walmart; Cuttlebug w/Leafy Branch embossing folder and Nestabilities Classic Circles set; 1 and 1-1/4 inch circle punches; Heat tool; 3M foam mounting tape.

With a "to do" list that's still too long, I suppose I'd best stop procrastinating and get to it. I'll catch you later with a few more sketch challenge cards. Until then, have a great day!