Design Challenge

Hello everyone,

I've decided to really put my card designs out there and try out for a position on a design team. One of my favourite blogs, Just Christmas and Birthday Cards, is looking for three designers and even though I've no formal design training, I'm going to submit a couple of cards. The design call asked for two photos of favourite cards. It was too hard to choose favourites as, unless I totally mess up, I love all of them, so I decided to design two cards from scratch and submit those. My preference is making Christmas cards not only because I love the season, but there is no such thing as too much when it comes to Christmas cards. Frankly though, birthday cards come a close second because you can be so very personal.

I think this just might be my most favourite Christmas card yet. It is so elegantly simple. The card base is from Halcraft. The image is Hero Arts Holly Flourish. I inked the flourish with VersaMark and used my Tombow markers to colour the holly before I stamped onto the card. The flourishes were then embossed with Close to my Heart Silver Pearl embossing powder. I used Shimmerz Evergreen and Burgundy to highlight the holly leaves and berries. The sentiment, on a piece of scrap, is Stampin' Up Short and Sweet, embossed with more Close to my Heart Silver Pearl and punched with the Modern Label punch. The ribbon is Offray Lovely Gold.

The paper for this birthday card is all Stampin' Up. I figure when making a favourite card, use a favourite paper and mine at the moment is Cottage Wall. I combined the Cottage Wall with some Whisper White, Old Olive and Orchid Opulence. The Old Olive was stamped with Stampin' Up's Cornelli Lace jumbo wheel in Old Olive ink. I used a Spellbinders Nestabilities Label to cut the two top elements. The ribbon strip is Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry in which the dots are highlighted with Star Dust Stickles. I also used the Star Dust Stickles to highlight some of the flowers in the Cottage Wall paper. The bow is Offray Lovely Gold. The brads are from either Michaels or Multicraft, I can't remember which but know it is one of those two. Finally, the sentiment is Stampin' Up Yummy in Rich Razzleberry.

I just love both of these cards. They contain elements that I find especially pleasing which when combined, just come together beautifully. Would that all cards worked so well. I don't know that I have enough experience to make the design team, but I sure enjoyed putting these cards together. Cross your fingers for that the Just Christmas and Birthday Cards design team likes them as much as I do.

I hope you also enjoy these two cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle