simon says... emboss it

Hi, friends! It's hump day again, and a new challenge is up on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog!

This week the theme is Embossing! Heat or dry, or both! You choose. :) The DT also used Cuttlebug/Provocraft and/or Sizzix products on our embossed creations. If you have any items from these lines in your stash, we'd love to see you use them along with us! But they're not a required part of the challenge.

Anyway, here's my card:

I must say, it really does look better in person. LOL It looks like lace and is actually embossed vellum, fussy cut, and overlaid on to a black card base. I thought that this BEATNIK BOUQUET embossing folder was just sooo pretty, and would make for a very elegant card is embossed on THIS vellum (the heavy weight allows it to emboss with minimal tearing). I think where I goofed was fussy cutting too close to the embossed edges.. should've left a bit more of a border, I think. Plus, I just couldn't get it to photograph decently at all! Oh well... you get the idea, right? :) The banner was also embossed. I used THIS stencil from the September '13 card kit, ran it through with an embossing mat, cut it out, and stamped the sentiment from THIS Simon Exclusive set, which I thought fit pretty well with the shape of the stencil!

Whew! OK, so now it's your turn: upload your embossed (whether heat or dry) creation HERE by 8am EDT next Wednesday (the 18th), and you'll be included in a random drawing for a very generous gift voucher to use at Simon Says Stamp!

Thanks for reading today! I'm sorry I didn't get that card kit project posted last Thursday... after my post, my husband's work schedule for the rest of the week completely changed, which of course threw MY schedule totally off. Between my daughter's birthday and our 20th anniversary, plus trying to get the new school year planned and organized, him adding to the chaos by rearranging his work hours at the last minute certainly did not help. LOL Long story short, I am catching up. :)

See you soon! ♥

Inspired by ribbon and a resolution follow-up

**NOTE: If you've arrived at my blog by way of a link on someone else's blog, first of all, WELCOME! Secondly, to view my more recent projects, please click on my header above to be taken to my home page. Thank you! :)**

Here is a card that I have been trying to get posted for what feels like FOREVER. I made it a while ago, but have been having some major problems getting my camera to focus on it properly. I'm beginning to worry that it might be user error, however, since I think I may have inadvertently messed with the AF points on my camera and now can't figure out how to change it back! LOL I am still SO far behind the learning curve witht this beast (camera)! Most of the time I get the shot I want... other times, I just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. :( But, I have resolved to really take the reigns with my camera this year! Hubby gave me a tripod and couple of really nice lenses for Christmas, so with those, the basic photography courses goin' on at at Two Peas, and the XTi class I've scheduled to take at Mike's Camera next month, I'm determined to figure this thing out and take better photos in 2008! :D

But I digress. LOL ;)

Here's the card, a thank you for the in-laws:



As you can see, there isn't good focus in this pic - the outer edges of the card are blurry, even AFTER a little work in DIP. And my color levels are off, too (I promise the red in the ribbon and the red card stock really DO match IRL)! Grr... Anyway, this was a fun card to make. I LOVE dry embossing and don't do it nearly often enough. :) I was completely inspired by the gorgeous AC ribbon, echoing the flowers and other elements in the dry embossing. I have several rolls of this (now discontinued) ribbon squirreled away, I just love it so much. LOL I also used my small corner rounder to make the scalloped edge (I have a trick to doing that, which I wil discuss later). And I love the contrast between the large embossed images, the chunky ribbon, and the teeny tiny sentiment. LOL

As for my '08 (crafty) resolutions, I am proud to say that I am following through! With most of them. LOL ;) I'm off to a great start in keeping with numbers 1,2, and 3. I haven't had a chance for #4, though, since I've been so busy with #3! LOL (Seriously - all the holiday thank yous, FIVE b-day cards, and one baby card - congrats again, Jenny! ;)) I've easily blown out #5 (see above, LOL) but #6 is going to have to wait until next month, as will #7. Number 8 is still in the works, however #9 is a total gonner. ROFL And I predicted, it too, didn't I? ;) Two Archiver's coupons this month, a new SU! catty, and the B/S/T forums over at SplitCoast and yeah... that one's DOA. LOL I've even been able to honor #10... and that's the most important one anyway. ;) So hey... nine outta ten isn't bad!

This was a long post. I really need to try to make them short and sweet. Maybe I should make a resolution to talk less? LOL :P

I will post more soon. Lots of cards to show. :) Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!


SUPPLIES
paper - SU!'s Rose Red and Certainly Celery
stamps - "Thank you" from All Holidays
ink - SU! Chocolate Chip (classic)
misc - American Crafts (Dunk Tank) ribbon, SU! Bodacious Classy Brass embossing/piercing template, and small corner rounder for the scallops