Something Different

For those of you who have been blogging a while, do you sometimes feel as though you’ve done it all when it comes to card making? I am nearing 1,500 posts, and lately, I have had the feeling that nearly everything I do is a repeat of something I have done before. Of course, that is not true – a fact that was made clear to me tonight when I opened the latest Stampin’ Up catalog up to a random page. This evening’s cards were inspired by the two cards that first caught my eye on Page 96. Although, of course, the colors are not exactly the same, they are close and a color combination (Heavenly Blue and Bamboo) I don’t believe I have ever used before. The stamps are different, too, but similar and used in a different way that, most likely, I would not have thought of on my own. It was kind of fun and enough to convince me that I have yet to “do it all.” LOL.

There isn’t much to explain that the Materials & Tools list will not reveal. There was a question about my Speckled Background stamp a few posts back. It is an old (darned near brittle) CTMH wood-mount stamp that I would not part with for the world. Speckling can also be achieved with reinker ink or thinned (watered-down) acrylic paint and an old toothbrush. My precious stamp achieves the same look and isn’t nearly as messy.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Bamboo, and Heavenly Blue cardstock; Bamboo, Heavenly Blue, and Desert Sand ink pads; Hot Diggity, Solo “B”, and promotional alphabet stamp sets; Speckled Background stamp (retired); Heavenly Blue mini brads; Twine; 3/8-inch natural twill ribbon.

A Slice of Life: What a fun evening I’ve had – certainly more enjoyable than the usual Monday night. Cameron’s Sarah emailed me at work today and said she needed a couple of cards and was wondering if she could come over and check out my stash. Of course. When she arrived, I asked if she wanted cards that I had already made or if she wanted to make them herself. The girl wanted to stamp! I offered a couple of samples, and under my direction she made this card, replacing the “Thinking of You” with “Happy Birthday” for her Dad’s BD next week and the blue version of this card for a new nephew who was born this past weekend in Wasilla, Alaska (Sarah Palin territory). Although everything was new to her, she followed my directions to a tee, and her cards turned out perfect. Her excitement was contagious, too. The embossing process and the results amazed her, and she is quite taken with the Cuttlebug and all that it can do – stuff that I take for granted. Like I said, it was a good time. Such a nice young woman, too.

It was a busy day at work and as the weatherman promised, another gorgeous day. I am still struggling a bit with the time change and think I would prefer darkness at the beginning of the day as opposed to the late afternoon. Once I start working during the night and sleeping during the day, it probably won’t matter.

Did you have a good day? I hope so. Make tomorrow a good one, too. OK? Take care, friends, and thanks for stopping by.