Thursday, July 10, 2014

Happy Birthday to my Real Life Blog Friend

I met the wonderful and talented Stacey Schafer online through a mutual design team, then I got on board early when she brought the curtain back up on the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge.  You should have heard the dire warnings I got from my children when I got a chance to meet Stacey in person - "She might be an online predator...even though she makes cards, she might be a creative predator!"  Stacey has visited Colorado and we did a short vacation together to Chicago. In Chicago, she remembered my birthday and brought a fun package of new products.  She's sweet like that!

Guess what?  It's Stacey's birthday today!

I've been struggling with a card all week.  I'm embarrassed to tell you how much time I spent making a card for her.  Our cardmaking styles are very different and I had in my head that I would lean toward her style on the card that I was making.  After hours of layering papers and die cuts, and trying to stamp images on patterned paper (which she does with amazing results), I had something that I thought was OK.  But I took a close look at it and realized that after I had ripped things up numerous times, it wasn't fit for close inspection even if it survived mailing (the sequins were already dripping out of the shaker!). So, I decided that she didn't need another card in her style, because she already has cards in her style!!  I started another card focused on my style, but hours later, it looked a lot like the first card with a little more white space.  Argh!!  (I do so much better at making general cards!)  Finally, I ripped the floral "bouquet" off the first card and my final card came together in about 10 minutes...and I'm happy with it!  (I hope you are too, Stacey, but I didn't finish it until yesterday so you get to see a photo of it before it arrives in your mailbox.)


Birthday Tag

Throughout the whole process, what stayed important to me was using products that she had introduced to me.  She has served on numerous design teams and many of them are for companies that I already use and love.  But two that she single-handedly got me excited about are Reverse Confetti and Pretty Pink Posh. The stamps, flower dies, and tag dies are from Reverse Confetti.  The sprinkle of sparkly sequins are from Pretty Pink Posh (I had started with a shaker card to better show off Pretty Pink Posh, but I've already bored you with the story of how that didn't work!)

 Happy birthday Stacey!!  I agree with you that we need to get a Vegas trip on our schedule - I need a break after making your birthday card!

  • Stamps: Reverse Confetti Petals 'n Posies, Beautiful Banners (sentiment)
  • Paper: Stampin' Up River Rock, MFT Berrylicious, MME Nob Hill 6x6 dsp
  • Ink: Stampin' Up River Rock, Crisp Cantaloupe, Strawberry Slush, Soft Suede, MFT Berrylicious, SSS Sunshine
  • Accessories: Reverse Confetti Petals 'n Posies Confetti Cuts and Tag Me Confetti Cuts, Pretty Pink Posh 4 mm metallic gold sequins, Hemptique 10-lb brown twine, Lil' Inkers Stitched Squares

14 comments:

  1. Ha, ha, Now this image will stay in my mind ALL day!! ha, ha, you doing your best to make a specila birthday card for a special friend! Very sweet of you.
    Just another example to stay close to yourself! Be yourself! That's probably why you're friends in the first place, because she likes YOU and YOUR cards/ style!
    And your cards are stunning! This one is no exception.
    Great card and lovely colorcombo!
    Those sequins, ha, ha, there's a story behind each and everyone of them so it seems! :-)
    Love your stories too, they really make my day!
    Bye,

    Marjolein

    ps. She will definitely love your card, because YOU made this especially for her! :-)
    ... just saying....

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  2. Gorgeous....and a creative predator...hilarious!!!

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  3. Kimberly! I adore this card and the story of how it became what it is! Thank you for your ever-faithful friendship across the miles! Who knew our "disaster" with you know what would result in a special friendship!! Big hugs! Vegas, here we come..

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  4. So very you, so very cute and Stacey will LOVE it!

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  5. Kim! I love your card and yes Stacey does too, remember that she chose you and your style for Curtain Call! I understand only too well how awkward it is to step out of your comfort zone, and not does patterned paper like Stacey. Your RC products you used and fantastic and I may have to CASE this one!

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  6. Your thoughtfulness in putting together this card is wonderful :) Love it and sure Stacey will too.

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  7. Oh this makes me laugh ,my kids joked and said the same thing to me when I met Joyce,Cathy and Kim....too funny!
    Now .....your card is gorgeous! I think it's sweet that you let others know just his hard it is to pull off a perfect card...sometimes you just have to start over. You might be a bit hard on yourself. Love every detail!

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  8. It's beautiful, Kims! Of course, Stacey will be delighted that you made her a card in YOUR great style! I hope your guys weren't upset when you hooked up with me and Cheryl or maybe they were more trusting by then! Hugs, Darnell

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  9. Love love love this sweet card and I know Stacey will love it as well! Had to pin this for future inspiration!

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  10. Pretty card! And I'm sure Stacy will love it. Had to laugh at this post, because I could so relate...when I first started blogging 4 years ago...I went to meet Nine "Strangers" All fellow bloggers. And yes, I had some people think I was crazy to do that too. (We met in a very public place...) They turned out to all be super people, and since I was new to blogging and they weren't...very helpful to me a newbe...Great fun day too!

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  11. Kim - since your style is flawless it would make anyone thrilled to receive one of your cards. Love the clean layout and I always like the way you use tag dies on cards. I don't bother pinning your creations on Pinterest anymore, I just have your blog on my favorites bar. :)

    TFS and I'm off to find those stitched dies. Love them!!
    Carole

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  12. An absolutely beautiful card, infused with your signature style and flair that I know Stacey loves, as do I! I agree: trying to create for people, to honour their style is a challenge. Creating 'for others' in our way works so much better, as you've clearly shown!
    ~c

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  13. Darling card, Kim! And I don't believe for one minute that you struggle with any designs... quit telling tales, wouldja? You've quickly become my new stamping idol!

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