I've just gotten around to playing in the Make It Monday challenge hosted by the talented Nicole Heady of Capture The Moment. This week's challenge (#73) is to stamp on patterned paper, and there is a video by the awesome Ashley Cannon Newell, featuring her three stunning cards.
Since this challenge email popped into my inbox last Monday, it's been patiently waiting in the wings of my brain to go on stage. I used to shun patterned paper with a chocolate chip on my shoulder. It looked too "kit" to me, somehow cheating. If I wanted a background pattern, I made it myself with stamps and ink, maybe just Watermark. Boy, have I changed my tune to that swan song! I have so much beautiful patterned paper now, I'll never use it up in my lifetime. Some cultures would consider that to be hogging. Oink.
I use the bold colors, the plaids, the argyles, the stripes for layering mostly. The subtle pastels get stamped on, so this is not a new technique for me. I particularly like the patterned paper I used for this card, but unfortunately, the pattern is almost invisible in the photo. It's a lovely pale celery with ivory floral accents, a peach and willow mouth feel, and a nose of fresh rain, hibiscus, and duckbill. Stop it. I so want to write labels for wine bottles!
I tampered the lighting in the above photo, so hopefully you can see the background florals. The below photo shows the embossed harvest berries up close. It's really quite pretty IRL.
Speaking of quite pretty in IRL, I've been meaning to ask if I'm the only woman who looks quite pretty ITBM? IRL means "in real life" and ITBM means "in the bathroom mirror." It's like a county fair distortion booth inside my bathroom. When I look in the bathroom mirror, I look quite young and pretty, with highly defined cheekbones, arched eyebrows, and long, chiseled neck. Pleased as punch, I get in the car to go someplace.
Then I catch sight of myself in the car mirror (especially the side mirror!), and I recoil in horror. Store window glass equakes the same reaction. Who IS that old woman with the deflated cheekbones, furrowed eyebrows, wattled neck AND, as if that weren't bad enough, clearly abundant jowls! There were definitely no jowls a minute ago in the bathroom mirror. Definitely not. No.
Jowls. Wattles. Who's brilliant idea were those words to describe any part of a woman? For goodness sake, they sound like breeds of chickens!
Here's something beautiful no matter what mirror you use. I can't remember the name of this incredible plant, but it's a show-stopper in my garden!
Enjoy! As always, thank you for stopping by to visit. Special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower or leave a comment!
Paper: PTI cream, dark chocolate;
DCWV pattern paper
Stamp: PTI Harvest Berries; PTI
Birthday Bash Sentiments
Ink: PTI dark chocolate; Imprintz
white detail embossing powder
Bling: Crystal Stickers Elements
Gorgeous card, I have just discovered stamping on patterned paper, ok I admit it is was in my desk and I just needed to try the new stamp lol. Off to google wattles as don't know what they are lol. Hugs, Amanda x
ReplyDeleteOne of your best blog posts yet!
ReplyDelete(I'm still laughing!)
That's my basement mirror - I use it on the way out through the garage, and it's generally pretty dim in that hallway. My eyes look bright and my skin looks smooth! Glad I'm not the only one experiencing this!
ReplyDeleteOh I have mirrors like that too Darnell, only problem - it is every one I look in - LOL! That patterned paper looks like ginko leaves to me. I had a ginko tree in my garden but it got killed by frost last winter.....did you know they take 400 years to reach maturity? Sorry, didn't mean to waffle on.......Anne x
ReplyDeletePS - Love your card!
Only me, ginko is spelled ginkgo - how silly am I? Thought I had got it wrong......
ReplyDeleteYour card is stunning, Darnell! I think I'd keep the bathroom mirror and get a new car! The camera makes you look good so you don't need to worry.
ReplyDeleteLaughing on my back, rolling on the floor, or whatever the kids say, Bonnie, you get the prize! Get a new car! Of course! Why didn't I think of that?!!
ReplyDeleteROFL = Rolling On the Floor Laughing. Which is what I did when I read your post hehe. Love your pattern paper so delicate. Sandy :)
ReplyDeleteSoft and subtle and very elegant. Great card.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the mirror. REMEMBER- it's a privilege to grow old and aren't we lucky that eye sight diminishes as we do. Enjoy!
I still have playhouse envy!
I prefer to believe that my car mirror is distorted and my bathroom mirror is a perfectly accurate image.
ReplyDeleteLovely, delicate wine label, I mean card. My bathroom mirror is great, soft focus (steam)? Especially when I don't have my glasses on. Unfortunately I only need glasses for close-up so I can still see my wrinkles in a window reflection at 20 paces! Thanks for becoming a follower!
ReplyDeleteHi Darnell, OMGosh you make me laugh, my eyes are watering. I can relate to all you are saying. Well except that my bathroom mirror is under harsh bulbs so the truth is there too. But I just use the low light, much better :) My husband is such a romantic guy he will say something sweet such as "nice turkey neck" when I express concern about the strange things on my neck. Trust me I keep my chin up in photos :)
ReplyDeleteI came here looking forward to whatever you were writing about today. By the way, your creation is beautiful & elegant. I can relate to hoarding papers, don't know why as I also enjoy creating backgrounds.
I think the pretty blue/purple flower is called "Balloon Flower" and is from the Campanula family. I used to read garden books all winter to relax when I was working full-time but that was PSA (pre stamping addiction). Well this is a long-winded comment, Have a great weekend, Shirley x ps.. you look great in your birthday photo !
Once again another funny story, you always crack me up! Fabulous card too, and that black bling is just too cute!
ReplyDelete