Monday, September 15, 2014

1-2-3-4 Challenge Card

Love this photo so much I had to give you the extra-large format size!!  :)


"The love of dress is very marked in this attractive animal.  He is proud of his coat, and cannot endure that a hair of it shall lie in the wrong way."
                                                                     ---------Jules Chamfleury

Hi, Friends....

I am here today with a card for the MFP Simple Salutations 1-2-3-4 Challenge (1 image, 2 flowers, 3 papers, 4 brads).  This card was surprisingly difficult for me to put together, even though I have tons of designer paper (my hubby might say this is literally true!) and flowers galore in my stash.....not sure why I had so much trouble getting a concept for it.  



I am also entering this in the Viva La Verve Challenge using their lovely September color palette:

http://vlvsketches.blogspot.com/2014/09/viva-la-verve-september-2014-week-1_9.html

Darnell gets this third and final entry from me in her NBUS #2 Challenge, also, since I am using more of my brand-new MFP stamps.  The lovely floral image is from the MFP Works of Art set.  (THANKS, MFP!!!)



I stamped my dogwood image with Memento Rich Cocoa ink and used my waterbrush and Gelatos to paint it. 

 I couldn't resist mounting it on this pretty DCWV foiled kraft paper.  You know me and gold!  LOVE.  I put a bit of sparkle in the centers of the blossoms with a sparkly gel pen.  The brads have been in my stash for a loooong time.  I'm not sure if I've ever used them before or not.....maybe. 



The scrap of pink shimmery paper I used was too wide and not long enough for my card.  So I cut it lengthwise and glued it together, hiding the seam beneath the upper panels.  That can be our secret, huh?  I finished the card off with a couple of velvety Prima flowers.  I love the soft look and the texture they bring. 

So, I got the whole card finished and sat back looking at it admiringly.  Oh, no!!!!  EEEEEK!!!  This is supposed to be a Simple Salutations challenge.  I got so engrossed in the 1-2-3-4 aspect that I forgot completely about the greeting and I hadn't left room for a banner with some salutation on it.  Oh, woe!  :(

Well, there was only one thing to do.....I would have to stamp directly onto the finished card.  ARGHH!!  This was one of those times where it had to be perfect the first time.  The pressure was building....  I chose the Happy Birthday from my new MFP Silly Shells set.  I carefully selected where I wanted the greeting and inked it up.  I held my breath as I gingerly placed it and stamped.  Did I dare lift it up yet?  Had enough of the ink transferred?  Or would I be left with a completely ruined card to be remade and salvaged at a later date?   With dread in the pit of my stomach, I lifted it up.  Ahhhh-mazing!  As close to perfect as I can ever hope to expect.  And I love the look of it stamped directly, instead of using a banner that I can do and redo as many times as necessary!!  Whew!!!  (Now tell me.....do you think I stress out too much about my cards?  Ha!!)

Ding-ding-ding-ding!!!  New Follower Introduction Time!!!!  Welcome to followers #59 and #60!!

Brandie Partello - I sorry that I can't share any info on you, Brandie, although I think you have commented and I replied.  I wish I could find it!  I would love to introduce you better.  If you have a blog you would like for me to share, please send me a link using the sidebar thingy.  At any rate, I am so glad to have you as a new follower.  This ginormous smile is all for you!!!!
:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

craftyamiga - Another new member and I don't have any blog info to share for others to know where to visit.  If you would like to send me a link to your gallery or blog, I would be delighted to post that update to your introduction.  In the meantime, this ginormous new-follower smile is yours!!!  Thanks so much for becoming a follower!!!!
:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Thank you all for your enormously generous and kind comments on my projects.  I have said to my family that the average rating for comments on a craft blog seems to be 5 stars out of 5 stars....."Never is heard a discouraging word".....but I think you, dear readers, rate an average of 6!!  THANKS soooooo much!!!!  You make my day!!!

<3
Janis 


Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1.  MFP Speedy TV Simple Salutations Challenge #113 - 1-2-3-4
2.  Viva La Verve Sketches September Color Challenge
3.  djkardkreations - NBUS Challenge #2 - Anything Goes with Never Before Used Schtuff
4.  Pinkfresh Studio - Gold Challenge  

5.  Word Art Wednesday Challenge #149 - Anything Goes with an Encouraging Greeting

20 comments:

  1. Janis, your card is fantastic. You did a great job with the recipe. I like the two brads in the cornThanks for following the recipe and thanks for joining us at MFP's Simple Salutations this challenge.

    Emily T.
    DT Leaderers. Very clever.

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    1. Thanks, Emily!! I was fortunate even to have brads on hand. I never use them, but I should!!

      <3
      Janis

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  2. Wow, this card just dazzles!!! The gorgeous metallic DCWV cardstock is the perfect frame for this stamped image. So glad you got your MFP prizes because you are rocking those stamp sets!!!! I had to laugh when I read your panic at realizing that you forgot a sentiment (salutation) because I have done that SO many times for this challenge. Kind of get all caught up in the design and meeting the various other parts of the challenge and then when you have the finished card..OH NO! I've actually gotten as far as taking a photo of it...and then I have to go add a sentiment and re-shoot. I think making ourselves take a big risk and stamping the sentiment right on the card is good for us....makes the blood run hot (or cold, depending on how dicey it becomes!!). Five thumbs up for this fabulous card! Yes, I am all thumbs tonight!

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    1. Thank you, Karen!!! Yes, I am sooooooooooooooo glad to have received my MFP stamps....in more ways than one! Haha....I just howled reading your account of even taking the photo and then remembering you needed the sentiment!!! :D :D :D This twist of the 1-2-3-4 recipe had me completely focused. Good thing I wasn't trying to chew gum at the same time!!!! Ha.

      <3
      Janis

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  3. What a FUN post, Janis! Um, no, I don't think you stress too much over your cards; I think everyone of us has acted out that EXACT scene when we've found ourselves in a position where we had to lay on a sediment after the whole card has been made, sometimes painstakingly!! I was so glad it worked perfectly for you because I was holding my breath through the whole thing!! And I'm glad you took those photos of your gorgeous card from different angles to really show off that magnificent shine! Great card all the way around and I thank you for linking up again to my NBUS Challenge!! Hugs, Darnell

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    1. High compliments from the Queen of Fun Posts, herself!!! Thank you, Darnell.

      You are such an amazing lady to visit every single one of the NBUS challenge entries.....and always leave encouraging and positive comments. Thanks so much for all you've done to foster a sense of community among papercrafting bloggers. I feel very honored to be included in that community.

      <3
      Janis

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  4. Hi Janis
    I have a had a giggle reading this so thank you for that.
    I think we all struggle with the concept of a card from time to time and for what ever reason it take forever to put it together I have been there on a number of occasions
    but you got there in the end and such a pretty card I love that gold paper so strokable lol.
    Thank you for your kind words on my card and I will see you soon
    Jacki x

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    1. Thanks so much, Jacki!! I appreciate so much you becoming a new follower. I hope you saw your ginormous smile!!! :)

      <3
      Janis

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  5. Ha ha on me, when you said stamp directly onto that beautiful card, my stomach muscles tightened up and I held my breath. Praying you have a happy day filled with smiles and sunshine. Thank you for joining our 149th challenge at Word Art Wednesday.

    Carole Robb Bisson
    PS The placement of the brads is super effective

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    1. Thank you, Carole!! I didn't realize my tale was going to be so gripping!! I think it must be that we each have had those experiences and remember what it felt like. :o Thank you so much for your visit and your uplifting comment!!

      <3
      Janis

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  6. Good Morning, Janis! LOVE the lion photo and am oh-so-glad that you used the X-lrg format. I think most people would enjoy doing that on occasion, but don't know how, or don't know how to widen their columns to accommodate the larger formats. It does not take any extra storage because google already has the original size saved.

    Your card is beautiful! Love that delicately embossed paper, and can see why you had to add it, too! Your use of the challenge colors is also delicate - a wonderful card design!

    hugs,
    de

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    1. Glad you like the lions!! I was enthralled by that photo. Thank you for your sweet comments on my card.

      <3
      Janis

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  7. Beautiful card, Janis! Very elegant with the foil paper to accent the image panel. Thank you for sharing with us at MFP Simple Salutations Challenge.

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    1. Thank you, Vickie!!!! I am a nut over anything shiny! :)

      <3
      Janis

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  8. So beautiful! I love the gold framing and the touch of gold on the blossom :)

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    1. Thanks so much, Deepti!! I appreciate you taking the time visit and leave such a nice comment!!

      <3
      Janis

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  9. So pretty! I've got one in on the Pinkfresh Studio challenge too. Can't wait to see who wins!

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    1. The winner of that challenge had a lovely LO. It was fun to see that you were participating, too!!!

      <3
      Janis

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  10. This is beautiful. Love the pinks and the metallics. You were so brave to stamp on the completed card for the sentiment. I just hate doing that too. Great job on the recipe. Thanks for sharing with us on MFP's Simple Salutations.

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    1. Thank you so much, Christine!! I appreciate your sweet words. I'm not sure if brave is the right word for what I did or not! Ha. Thanks for going back to so many of my old posts and leaving comments. You are so nice to take the time to look at my projects!!!

      <3
      Janis

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THANK YOU so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Your kind words encourage me so very much!!!

Have a lovely day!
<3
Janis