Saturday, January 30, 2010

Down in my bones


(birthday greetings card by me, using some papers I found in a page protector already put together for a future card...my minds eye star and brade embellie that I colored red with my Copic; creative imaginations ribbon; Pow Bam Star stationary border paper from Office Depot; American Crafts striped paper; DCWV yellow cardstock cuttlebug-embossing with Allegro folder; Elvis birthday stamp by IBFS stamped with black Ranger archival ink on Wausau 110# index stock and diecut with Spellbinders Labels #9, then colored with Copics and Prismacolors.)

It's been pain 24/7 in my hips all week long and when episodes like that consume me there is little energy left for creativity. So I didn't get as much done as I wanted to. And the weather yesterday didn't help. My folks live in NE Arkansas and were afraid yesterday's slammer cold front / blizzard was going to be a redux of that horrid ice storm exactly one year ago. Blessedly, they fared okay this time, no power lost. I feel badly for the folks in Oklahoma...I think they received the brunt of it.

Wow, I just remembered, a few years ago, it was Missourians sitting in the dark and cold for a few weeks. January is really the cruelest month for weather.

So, anyway, my Elvis card was fun to make, using this week's sketch at Stepping Stones Designs. I am perhaps addicted to using sketches for cards now, I think. The other day I almost made a card without a sketch at all and stopped myself. I mean, why do that when there are about a zillion sketches out there? (See what I mean? LOL)

Okay, I've had a ton of people ask me how I made that red foofy flower on this card. I thought about writing a tutorial, except that it's just too simple for all that.

What I did was take some ironed rayon fabric (and I am pretty sure that any other similar fabric would work -- if it's too flimsy, try starching it lightly) and I diecut a dozen of a Sizzix flower shape with it. (I used just one diecut so all of the layers were identical.) I also diecut a circle shape out of Bazzill card stock that was just a tad smaller in diameter than my flower.

Then I cut a little x in the center of each one with my fabric scissors as a hole for the brad. Then I assembled it: card stock  circle, fabric flower layers, brad.

Several people wondered what made it poof up. I did nothing to assist that. I think it is just what lightweight silky material like that does on its own. And yes, I used I know close to a dozen of those layers. You just keep adding layers until you get the foofy you want.

4 comments:

jillconyers said...

That is the coolest card!

The bad weather just missed us...so far. We've had a mild winter this year (and by saying that I probably just jinxed it).

I'm so sorry to hear you're in pain. I hope you get some relief soon.

Oh and thanks for the how-to on the flower :)

Anonymous said...

Wow loving your elvis my friend. Its such a vibrant make too
hugs June xxxx

artbeckons said...

Sorry you're feeling the pain... from the timestamp on your post it looks like it kept you up most of the night. Hope today's a better day =)

2amscrapper said...

Love it!