Monday, May 27, 2019

Anniversary Card for My Honey and Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Monday to all and Happy Memorial Day for those of us in the USA. I am always thankful for those who have defended my freedom. Since both parental surname branches of my family tree arrived in the American Colonies by 1650 (one English, one Dutch), there has been someone who has served in every U.S. war from the American Revolution up through WWII (none in Vietnam or Iraq). Three of my great-great-grandfathers died in the Civil War. Both of my grandfathers served in the Army in  WWI and my dad served in the Navy in WWII. Thank you to everyone who served and serves!

  
This coming week holds another wedding anniversary for Honey and me. Wednesday will be 32 years of marriage. Pretty good for two crazies who only dated 6 weeks before tying the knot, huh? (Well, we both just KNEW...or thought we did and we've been lucky.)  Every year it seems I struggle to come up with a special card design. Honey is so so so supportive and proud of my hobby art. He patiently stops whatever he is doing and inspects and admires everything I make. And not to mention I can buy whatever I want. Plus, he also cheerfully lives in a house that looks more like a heavily-inventoried craft store at times, lol.


So, I feel the pressure to make THE most special card for him. (There have been years when I just gave up and bought a card, lol.) This year, I was not sure I could pull it off. I had it in my head to use a stamp I've had for awhile but never used before, Stamping Bella's Forever My Always. So, I'm staring at this week's Split Coast Stampers Wednesday Sketch (which was really hard for me to visualize at first) and then BOOM! it hit me to make what I call a split-level card. So that is what I've done and I LOVE IT! It wasn't that easy to photograph, so I hope I am giving you the full idea of it.

Here is the front as it opens. It's a 5x7 (A7) card with 1/2" cut off the front side edge so that you see the My Love strip when it is closed, hence, why I call it a split-level card...like a house, I guess lol. In addition to the adorable Stamping Bella couple stamp which I colored with my ProMarkers and fussy cut, the 3 sentiments are by Stamping Bella, Sheena Douglass for Crafters Companion and Avery Elle. I used VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink and clear-heat-embossed them. The small flag die cut at top is My Favorite Things and the large flag die cut at the bottom is Avery Elle. The background was stenciled with Squeezed Lemonade and Fossilized Amber Distress Inks using a Memory Box stencil. 

And here is what the inside looks like as it opens.  The vertical My Love letters were die cut with QK Studio Alphas on my ancient QuicKutz Squeeze that still works perfectly. I adhered the letters to a strip of Teresa Collins Love Lines card stock that's on top of a strip of this gorgeous patterned paper I found in my stash and have no earthly idea who made, the back of the 12x12 had no info. I looked before I cut.

Here's the full open inside laying flat. Again, is this paper not gorgeous? All of the sentiments inside were stamped with VersaMark and then heat-embossed using Ranger Lemon Yellow EP. I love how the yellow just pops against the paper. Okay, the left side sentiment is Papertrey Ink. On the right side, top to bottom: Stampin' Up, Leave Memories, Avery Elle, Clear Dollar, Stampin' Up, Sweet Stamp Shop, Leave Memories and PSX stamps. I basically hunted through my Love stamp category and chose every stamp that spoke to me. {grin}

Here's the back where I've used the Teresa Collins card stock to mat. My Lawn Fawn siggie is stamped on top of a Lil' Davis heart stamp, both heat-embossed and then die cut using a Spellbinders Labels die.

 
 Some close-ups of the inside. Click to make bigger. I learned something from doing this. What I did was try to stamp in VersaMark 2 or 3 of the stamps at a time before heat-embossing. That's why it looks kind of random, because I was basically stamping blind. I finally got a clue halfway down to stamp then go apply my powder, stamp and powder, etc. That way I could see where I'd stamped the one above as I went along. The VersaMark ink stays wet so long I could have probably done the entire page this way before melting with my heat tool. Lesson learned! I thought about starting over to make it perfectly aligned, but that paper is so pretty I wasn't about to waste any of it. And Honey will not notice anything wrong at all.

 Close-up of my front image. I just get a kick out of these two! They are so cute!

One last view of my closed card. I do think it's Honey-worthy. Whew! Just thankful I came up with something he hasn't seen me make. :-))) Now, to the Challenges I'm playing with this card:

CHALLENGES:
1.  Split Coast Stampers Wednesday Sketch Challenge #750 - Sketch is shown above
2.  Scrapping4Fun Challenge #141: Masculine
3.  Love to Scrap Challenge #121: Anything Goes + Opt. Challenge Masculine - I have played the masculine option, this is a card for my husband.
4.  Mix It Up Challenge #25: Anything Goes + Opt. Mixed Media - I have played the option. I have stamping, stenciling, die cutting, heat-embossing, paper layering (collage) and coloring with alcohol markers and Distress and pigment inks
5.  Stamplorations Mixed Media Challenge May: Always Anything Mixed Media Goes with a Stencil
6.  More Mixed Media May Challenge: Anything Goes with Optional Pink - my creation is mixed media but I did not choose to play the color option. I have stamping, stenciling, die cutting, heat-embossing, paper layering (collage) and coloring with alcohol markers and Distress and pigment inks
7.  Love to Craft Challenge #34: May Anything Goes
8.  613 Avenue Create Challenge #221: Anything Goes + Opt. Twist Shaker Card - I did not play the twist.
9.  Country View Challenge May: Opposites - Man and Woman: Opposites Attract (describes our happy marriage this card is celebrating)
10.  Use Your Stuff Challenge #360: Mood Board - I was inspired by the red, yellow and grays, and I saw the board as very romantic, as in things you would do on a date in May...like an anniversary. :-)
11.  IkesWorld Challenge #120: E is for Emboss + Anything Goes - all of my sentiments and the focal image are heat-embossed.
12.  Crafting from the Heart Challenge #244: Always Anything Goes
13.  Outlawz Color Tuesdays May 21- Jun 3: Purple + 2 Other Colors + Tell Us Your Twist - I chose purple, red and yellow and my twist is use a stencil.

14.  Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge May 23-Jun 5: Twist is Masculine - my card is for my husband.
15.  Jo's Scrap Shack Challenge #283: Always AG
16. Try It On Tuesday Let's Party 10th Birthday Share
17. Lost Coast Designs Challenge #76: Use Some Words - I stamped and have 3 sentiments on my card (and a ton more inside). 

18.  Outlawz Festive Friday Challenge May 17-30: Anniversary/Wedding Theme

That is it for me this time. THANKS for visiting and come back! Catch you laterz, gatorz! XOX

20 comments:

Cath Wilson said...

Wow! Lots of challenges and lots of detail on your gorgeous card for hubby. You certainly used a wide variety of products ;-) Love the image and the verses you used on the inside - perfect.
Thank you so much for joining us at Try it on Tuesday for our 10th birthday celebration.
Cath x

froebelsternchen said...

A wonderful , wonderful card for your hubby! We are so very happy to see you here celebrating with us at TIOT agin Aimeslee! Happy week, hugs,Susi

Beth Norman-Roberts said...

Very cute card and a big Happy Anniversary to you two. I hope your anniversary was a special one. Wow, you only knew each other six weeks, eh? I'm so happy for you.

The gold on top of the red on the inside is stunning. I wouldn't have thought to do that.

Have a great week!

Renate said...

Wow what a beautiful card
Thank you for joining us at S4F
Renate DT

ionabunny said...

Happy anniversary. Wonderful card. Love the stencil sun rays and the fun couple. Thanks for joining the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity Challenge. Hugz

Terry said...

Aimslee, congrats on many challenges met with DH anniversary meaningful creative celebration. Great color features in guy side of the color wheel. You go girl!
Keep Looking Up!

Laurie said...

Love your anniversary card - what a cute stamp! Nice background and layering as well. Thanks for joining the Lost Coast Design Challenge!

Kathyk said...

Two fab makes, loving your entry for the Love To Craft Challenge Blog May challenge

Kathyk
DT @ LTCCB

Sall said...

I love this it's just fabulous Thank you for taking the time to join in with our challenge and sharing your creativity with us, I love to see your talent, creativity and imagination at work. I hope to see more of your creativity in the near future. Love 'n' hugs Sall IkesWorld Challenges DT

Cathy said...

Thanks again for joining the Lost Coast challenge. What a great anniversary card.

Sheryl said...

This is such a fun card. Great design.
Glad you stopped by at 613Avenue Create.
Hugs Sheryl xx

crafty-stamper said...

WOW fabulous card and definitely worth celebrating 32 years after only 6 weeks wow and bet everyone said it wouldn't last ! Congratulations to you both
Carol x x

Teresa said...

Thank you so much for joining in with our challenge this month. Good luck and hope to see you again. Teresa DT xx

Sue said...

What a fabulous card, I love this image, and the inside is stunning. Congratulations on your 32 happy years! Thank you so much for joining in with our challenge at Country View Crafts, and have a very happy weekend, Sue xx

ike said...

Such a fantastic, fun card. Happy Anniversary :-)
Thank you for coming to play at IKEsWORLD Challenges
Hugz
IKE =^..^=

My Challenge Blog
My Shop
My Blog
FB Fan Page
Cat Lovers Challenge Blog

Helen Gullett said...

It is a fabulous card. Thank you for playing with STAMPlorations May Mixed Media Challenge.
I hope to see you again at our June Mixed Media Challenge!

Heather said...

Wow!!! Congrats on 32 years!! Quite an accomplishment! And your card is fabulous!!! What a fun couple and the sentiment is just perfect!! Thanks for playing with LTSCB.

Cindy said...

What a fun card! Thanks for joining us at Mix it UP!

Heather said...

So . . . I should have checked your challenge list when I was here before. Thanks for playing with Jo's Scrap Shack.

Mrs.B said...

A very bleated Happy 32nd Wedding Anniversary - a great achievement, especially as you 'tied the knot after 6 weeks - but as you say, you knew it was right. It's a great card and your hubby will have appreciated it, love the image.
Avril xx