Thursday, June 11, 2009

Sweet Sunday 21


Well, here I am again just squeaking this entry in under the wire for the Sweet Sunday challenge. I'm dedicating this card to my blogger friend, Karen Motz, over at the Paper Playhouse blog. She is an amazing stamper and has kept good on her vow to do one Xmas card a week this year. I always look forward to seeing it and I keep telling her that it is starting to get me motivated to dig out the Xmas stamps and get going on my cards too. Well, here it is, June, and I'm finally motivated! Hey, that's about 5 months earlier than my norm! Anyway, thanks a whole bunch Karen for the motivation and inspiration I get from you everytime I visit your blog. I'm in all of your outstanding talent in card making!
Now for my card. I puzzled over what to use as an image and then I saw this new cardinal stamp from Memory Box (purchased at a local Scrapbook store) staring at me so thought I should try a Xmas in June card with it. These two SU DP's (riding hood red and kiwi kiss) were at the top of my stash of paper and they were the perfect match for my cardinal. The solid green is also kiwi kiss.
Here are the card details: I punched the squares with my 1 inch Emaginations punch, embossed my white cardstock with the "Birds and Swirls" CB embossing folder, stamped my image 3 times with black pigment ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder. Then I colored in all 3 images using my prismacolor pencils and gamsol to blend. I embossed over the 2nd and 3rd images with clear embossing powder and versamark to make them nice and shiny and easier to cut out. I cut out and layered one of the cardinals over my original with dimensionals. Then I cut out just the wing and layered that on top the second image for more depth. I colored in the leaves with kiwi kiss and an aqua pen. I stamped extra leaves to add to the sentiment that I printed on my computer and punched out with the SU word window punch. I just love adding sentiments this ways. A little sponging around the edges is all it needs to set it off. I used some "Rhine Studs" I got from Michaels for the holly berries and the corner accents. That's a nesties label behind the cardinal that I just tipped sideways for a different look. All in all, I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. Hope you enjoy it and maybe take away a little motivation to get a jumpstart on Xmas too:))
Thanks for another great sketch Karen!

17 comments:

  1. Oh WOW Emily!!! Thank you so much for your very kind words, and I'm sooo happy that I've inspired you to start your Christmas cards a little early this year. Trust me...you'll feel the weight of getting cards done with every one you make before the holiday rush.

    Your card is GORGEOUS!!!!!! I love love LOVE it for so many reasons...first because it's a bird and I love birds, second because of all the layers and detail in the bird, third the embossed detail in the background...I could go on and on! It's such a fresh looking card with all the white showing...hmmm...I'll have to try that! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love, love this card! I was just thinking the other day that it would be fun to pull out some Christmas stuff and make a few cards. It would feel really good to be ahead when December rolls around too. And I bet whomever gets today's card from you will be thrilled in December too!

    And by the way, check out my card from yesterday...I made some changes and took your advice. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a beautiful card Emily,l love the image and colours.
    So gorgeous papers.

    Hugs Riet.x

    ReplyDelete
  4. Emily, this is gorgeous! Love the embossed background and the gorgeous cardinal, so lovely! What a fantastic idea to get stampin on those Christmas cards now. I'm such a procrastinator!

    ReplyDelete
  5. WOW Emily - you've created an absolute stunner here!! Love all the little details - just way too clever! And the white embossed background gives everything such a rich feel - beautiful card!!
    xXx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well, you've inspired me to at least start "thinking" about my Christmas cards. LOL! I'm sure I'll still be thinking come November. Your card is beautiful! Love the image and colors. Great dimension and detail too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh Emily! This is a GREAT looking card! Love those colors against all the white, the sponging around the main image, and the dimension on the cardinal. AWESOME!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is an absolutely stunning card! Love the layers, the LO, your coloring.....all of it!

    ReplyDelete
  9. OMGosh Emily, your card is just stunning, adorable, elegant, cheery, AWESOME, I could go on!! The bird and details below your sentiment is done so well, and the CB embossing ROCKS! I love your style... so FRESH AND FUN! Also you “go girl” starting your Christmas cards.... I have an idea for a cute, but simple card I seen at Creat-A-Card studio which is a local shop. I had a “girls shopping “ trip with a friend of mine on Thursday!

    Have fun playing with your new Verve stamps! I just received an e-mail confirmation late this afternoon that mine was shipped! Such and amazing card you designed!! Hugs and SMILES! Michelle :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Emily. I love your card, especially the way you have done the little squares over the embossed background. It all works so well together. Thank you for your wonderful comments on my blog, they are very much appreciated :o) x

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is GORGEOUS!! I love the cardinal and the colors popping off the white backgrounds. The nesties label is very cool as that layer too!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Emily, thanks for the comment on my blog and WOW! Have I ever visited your blog before? If not, how did I miss your wonderful creations? If I did, I don't know why you're not on my Reader...I will put you there now! Just gorgeous creations and your little doxies are soooo cute. That black one---I don't think I've ever seen one like that! I am looking forward to seeing your creations in the future!
    LeAnne

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi, I just discovered your blog. Your cards are spectacular.... the cardinal especially. Thanks for the inspiration, I'll be visiting you often :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wowzers! What a totally gorgeous card Emily - I just adore the virbrant colours - fantastic! Thank you so much for your fabulous comment you left, you are way too kind and I'm so glad you left it so I could come back and visit you. Off to drool over some more of your cards xx

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh I love your colors and your popped up bird! What a great looking card!

    ReplyDelete