Tuesday, September 27, 2011

OLW Sentiment-a-mania with a Sketch

This week's One Layer Wednesday challenge is to create a card where the sentiment is the focus or shares the focus equally with the image.  Less Is More has a sketch for us this week.


I came home from Archivers yesterday with a Christmas sentiment stamp that I needed like a hole in the head, but it was so unique and stylish - a set designed by Ali Edwards at Technique Tuesday.


I knew that I wanted to use that first sentiment with a star in the upper corner, but my CAS card has taken me hours!  First I tried glitter paper and a Christmas star punch - broke the punch, and the star looked lost by itself. 

Then I tried a few dozen ways to add a blue square - punching, sponging, glimmer misting, etc. - when I finally hit on this technique to ink an acrylic block - I was thrilled!

But then came the simple little star.  The glitter paper was too gold - it needed to be whiter, so clearly I would just add glitter.  Have you really looked at different "white" glitters?  Some have a pink cast, some blue, some are too white with no glitz, some show dark flakes.  Yuck!  I cannot tell you how many glittered stars I have on my desk - not to mention the glitter on my PJs, carpet and even eyebrows!  The final star - which is NOT my Christmas star punch as that broke at the beginning of this saga - is a combo of Crystal Effects (or Glossy Accents) covering the star with some no-brand glitter all over it. 

I wanted the sentiment to be slightly sparkle - a "moonlit" sparkle - so after I stamped it, I just sprinkled it with the same glitter - no embossing powder or heat-and-stick - and enough flakes stuck to give me the effect.  You know how glitter sticks to everything - I don't know how long it will stay, but so far it has resisted me trying to blow it off.

So...now that you are thoroughly tired of me whining - here's the card.  I really like it - but it definitely wasn't worth the hours I put it on it - particularly given that it should have been a 5 minute card!!



  • Stamps: Technique Tuesday Good Cheer
  • Paper: white
  • Ink: Ranger Distress Inks in Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky and Faded Jeans
  • Accessories: Emaginations Star punch, glitter, Stampin' Up Crystal Effects

18 comments:

  1. Just wonderful Kim, I love all the twinkle and that star is just fab! It was worth all the fiddling around!
    Thanks so much
    Chrissie
    "Less is More"

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  2. I know what you mean Kim. My first idea was to do a star but I just couldn't get it to look right, your's however looks fab, very 3D & sparkly, and I love the inky square. xx

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  3. This was so worth the effort! Are you still sparkling?

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  4. I know it was a frustrating experience but it sure is a beautiful card. Now you can make lots of cards in that style and it'll only take minutes. : ) You worked all the kinks out.

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  5. I think it turned out perfect, Kim! :) All that effort... The "clean" and the "simple" part of this card might not have been in the process, but they're definitely in the end result! :) Love it!!!

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  6. I love how glitter looks on a card, but I really don't like the mess I always make with it!! It really does look like a simple card that could be completed in record time...bet you could do it now that you've had all that practice! LOL!! The end result was definitely worth it!!

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  7. This is so pretty I love the sparkle and dimension on your star, great sentiment too, Gay xxx

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  8. Wow Kim! This card was certainly worth all the effort to create. A really trendy Christmas card. That start is soooo cool!

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  9. I think it was well worth the effort - I love the blue square and all the sparkle!

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  10. Gorgeous. That sentiment is wonderful, and I love how you paired it with the inked square and sparkly star.

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  11. oooh it is gorgeous - worth the effort.
    Linbyx

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  12. I know how you feel but we are all the while experimenting and trying new things even though it's so frustrating at the same time!!
    Well worth the effort tho, I love the inked square for the star to sparkle from:)
    Jenny x
    Gorgeous stamps.... I would have bought them too!

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  13. Your card looks lovely - the shimmer on the verse is fab, and the star is really bright white! It was worth the effort. But I know what you mean when trying out stuff. You're never going to get rid of all the glitter :)

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  14. Your star is so sparkly and your night square is lovely with the varying degrees of blue. Super sentiment too. x

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  15. Absolutely fantastic, as ever Kim
    Thank you
    LIM Mandi

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  16. This was definitely worth the effort! I've done lots of cards that took 2 or 3 hours for the first one and 10 minutes for the second one! Lol. Love the star and the non-traditional color. Very refreshing!

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  17. Hi Kim, I just discovered the Ali Edwards stamps at Archivers too. I just love her style. Your card is adorable! It's clean and simple, but so elegant! Love the beautiful blues.

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  18. Another card I was trying to comment on ... over the weekend. Glad I found some time to pop back and say how much I like this one. It is amazing how long we take on a single idea sometimes, isn't it. I love that pretty sparkle on the phrase!

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Thank you for taking the time to comment on my card! I do get spam comments so your comment will be held until I read it and release it!