Hi folks, I'm back & have finally emerged from under the heap of post-holiday laundry... there's some housework you just CAN'T avoid!
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Stamps: Boxes, Bags & Tags (PTI); Season Sparkle (My Cute Stamps)
Ink: Versamark
Card: Kraft card (Anna Marie Designs)
Other: silver detail embossing powder
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This week's Less is More challenge is the dreaded one-layer, & you have to incorporate a flourish. Now, I'm not a flourishy kind of a gal; I had to search high & low just to find one in my stamp collection, & it's certainly never seen ink before. It's not even very flourishy, so I hope it qualifies.
Can anyone explain to me why, when you try out a concept roughly, on scrap paper, just eyeballing placement, it comes together like a dream, yet when you transfer the same design to your best cardstock & measure centres exactly etc, it's completely pants? When I used to work, this phenomenon was referred to as a visit from the F**-up Fairy. Well guess what, she's been lurking in my craft room waiting for me while I was away!
The card you see above is attempt no. 4, & even that's not quite as perfect as I'd like. You stamp the flourish beautifully, & the sentiment smudges, or isn't straight.. I've remembered why I do so many sentiments on the computer. OK, I'll do the sentiment first. Fine. So now the flourish is all wonky, or there's extra embossing powder where there shouldn't be. Are you getting the picture?
Linking to:
Less is More: Week 71, One Layer - use a flourish
beautiful card
ReplyDeleteThe card is stunning.
ReplyDeleteI totally hear you on the F***-up Fairy! It's such a pain. I used to spend so much time carefully measuring and placing elements just so... but the card often turned out crap. I tend to eye-ball where possible now and my cards tend to turn out better - maybe because tiny imperfections are more natural to the eye?
But, the one thing that really gets my goat is embossing powder getting where it shouldn't be. It puts me off embossing most of the time. Your embossing looks so fantastic, it's making me want to go emboss something immediately!
S*d's law! But this one is gorgeous, worth the heartache of the earlier attempts which can hopefully be rescued into non one-layer projects
ReplyDeleteLove your take on the flourish. Super card. So true about that little fairy! Zx
ReplyDeleteI think your flourishy snowflake makes a fantastic Christmas card Jenny! The embossing is really crisp and I love the hand writing style sentiment. Believe me, I know just what you mean about the perfect result on the scrap paper that turns into a raging nightmare on the proper card stock! Vicky x
ReplyDeleteOff centre is the way to go Jenny! lol
ReplyDeleteI think your 'flourish' snowflake is FAB
Love the font of the sentiment
Have you tried an anti static pad to wipe over the card before you emboss, it works a treat!
Thanks so much
mandi
"Less is More"
Your card is just lovely. I didn't see the off-centre bit. Sometimes we are too critical of our own work.
ReplyDeleteYou could try dusting the card lightly with talcum powder before embossing. It works pretty well and also makes the card smell nice.
I know the feeling only too well!
ReplyDeleteThis card looks great to me however. It's a pretty flourish and makes a fab Christmas card. One layer can be such a trial at times can't it!
Thanks so much
Chrissie
"Less is More"
F - up fairy or no F - up fairy, I think it's a beautiful card!
ReplyDeleteSuper embossing, a very pretty card. xx
ReplyDeleteGreat design, simple and stylish!...and I can never work out why my test pieces always look better than my finished!?!?!? The ultimate insult is when I finally get it right, I pick it up .... then realise I've got inky fingers!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDiane
Yep! Been there done that...quite a few times actually! I think your snowflake looks fab...don't stress...it's a great card!
ReplyDeleteSo gorgeous! I think it looks perfect and I totally feel your pain about the 'f***-up fairy' - she visits me often! So frustrating! Totally ruined one of my favourite cards last week by smudging a sentiment at the very last minute - think it's destined for the bin! M x
ReplyDeleteI've met that fairy myself! This card is so elegant, love the shimmer!
ReplyDeleteGreat Christmas & LIM card !
ReplyDeleteThat stamp was well worth the drawer space, it looks brilliant and I think the sentiment is FAB as well. I'm with Mandi on the off centre placement idea, and I never try to line up a sentiment stamp or even a (dare I mention one) peel off!!!
ReplyDeleteLove your flourishy snowflake. I agree with perfect attempts on scrap paper, if only we had a magic wand to transfer it! x
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card love the flourish snowflake!
ReplyDeleteHa ha! I love it! Every time I smudge a sentiment (which I did several times yesterday when I was writing the last verse of a 92 verse poem!) or stamp something on the skew, I shall think of your fairy! Perfect name for her too! :)
ReplyDeleteI have only just found your blog through CASology and I am hooked! Love all your work :)