A VSN Late Arrival

Hello friends & followers.  Have you ever made a card that you weren't thrilled with?  It always bothers me when I do this because I hate wasting precious crafting supplies and money doesn't grow on trees in the present day and age; that is how I felt about the first two cards today.  I looked at them and just knew they were not my best work, did not come out how I envisioned them, considered not even posting them... Then I felt like the cards were sad, as if they were saying "Mom?  Am I not good enough to put on your blog?" and I felt bad (yes, I do realize I am ridiculous and personify things waaaay too much).  So I gave them a little makeover courtesy of Photoshop and here they are.  If you like them - great!  If you don't, that's fine too (no need to be nasty of course), they are my babies and I am still going to give them a little love.  Besides, this way when I am a world re-known card designer on the design team of every major stamping company in existence and everyone is intimidated by me, you can all find comfort in the fact that I came from humble beginnings and find confidence that you too can become the card designer of your dreams (just humor me here okay? laugh as much as you want, I can't hear you anyway).  They are both for Stamp TV's Free-for-Friday Challenge which was a sketch by Suzanne Dean with the twist of having to incorporate at least 4 shades of the rainbow.  

The red card uses 'Stenciled Spring' and the turquoise card uses 'Garden Silhouettes', both by Gina K. Designs, incorporating the chalkboard technique, which I usually execute with more precision than this.  My white craft ink pad seemed a bit dry, I made it too juicy, smearage, smearage, smearage... this is the result.  I still suggest you give this technique a try sometime if you haven't before, it looks really pretty... when it is executed well...


This next card I created for the extended VSN hurricane deadline on VSN - the challenge was to create a coffee themed card.  I used Andrea Ewen's sketch for Viva la Verve! - Week 2 and created this card using Verve's new set 'Better with You':

(Please click on any of the photos for clearer resolution).  I created background DP using the cute to-go cup from this set paired with the steam image and a saying that is perfect for my friend Barbie, who loves her coffee.  Don't you just love that Offray ribbon with this?  Doesn't it look like steam curls?  I will be so sad when I run out of this ribbon.  I crimped the brown strip of cardstock under the ribbon to resemble those coffee cozies the fancy coffee places give you so you won't burn your hands on the cups.  Lots of sponging around the edges on this one.


That is all I have for you now.  It is early in the day so I may have some more cards for your later if you wish to check back.  Thank you all for your warmth and your loyalty.  I hope you have a Happy Wednesday!
~Crafty Math Chick