Do More With Less

Do More With Less - Well I've been doing that for more years then I care to admit. But wait this is a challenge hosted by one of my favorite designers here on the east coast: Colleen . We share a love of hydrangeas and card making. Colleen shows how she does the beautiful work we so admire, so be sure to check out her gallery and read about the challenge and prizes for the winner.

 

Colleen's challenge is to :  make a card that incorporates the shabby-chic style, using pearls and lace. Play along for your chance to win this prize package.

 

How fun:) Lace and pearls, pearls and lace.

 

I get so silly over pink and green, so feminine and sweet. Add some purple a pinch of blue I'm over the moon in an age gone by. I used lots of Glossy Accents. It adds strength and flexibility to the fussy cut Vintage collage - adhered to dimensional dots. Well as long as I'm playing with bits and pieces I started working on another card. The glossy accents needed to dry.

 

 

 

There are days when my time is spent fussy cutting ephemera and vintage prints because I really enjoy the empty mind ...focused only on cutting expertly around and image. Do you know what I'm saying? Peace of mind. I choose what draws me to cut out, then I have all these bits and pieces and I leave them in a divided tray within my vision.The more I see them the sooner an idea comes together.

 

Then there are days I get out my favorite punches and scraps of left overs. I'll punch and ink and shape  bunches of flowers or leaves and stems.

I saw a card featured on CAS-UAL Friday's Facebook page by designer Lisa:  A simple and delightful card using craft paper and a corrugated roller - and knew I would have to make something using both. This is the result. The vase is covered with Glossy Accents when dried I attached it to the top of a coffee stirrer trimmed, sanded and inked. Tiny white hydrangeas, sponged with blue with pearl centers added. A sprig or two of green leaves and some twine to tie it all together. Thanks a bunch hand written.

 

The corrugated roller is only 4" wide and if I wanted horizontal lines with the 5.25" oriented top fold card I needed to make a cut. That's how this pink floral  telegram card came together. I embossed lines on all the stems and leaves and added teensy weensy dots of: none other than glossy accents. 

 

 

 

 

 

I just love that stuff. It's my go to glue and embellish-er. For large areas I find myself using fabri-tac by  Beachon Adhesives. I use the tip running it directly on the paper - just smeared lightly works. It's not wet, doesn't warp and dries fast. You will need a Craft scrubbie to get the glue off your fingers, but it's like hot glue without heat. That's my personal opinion. I'm not be paid to advertise.

 

 

I came across this quote and found it amusing considering all the young people sporting piercings and tattoos I see daily. 

The weirder you're going to behave, the more normal you should look.

It works in reverse, too.  

When I see a kid with three or four rings in his nose, I know there is absolutely nothing extraordinary about that person.  ~P.J. O'Rourke

I've got more to show you and if I finish my chores and grooming quickly,  I might be back with another post. Be well ~ Carole