First Edition for Casestudy

Hi Everyone.  Happy Tuesday.

I hope you all had a truly wonderful Christmas.

I did actually manage to make three cards yesterday and today.  I cannot tell you how difficult it was to actually make them.  I generally don't suffer from a total lack of mojo, but it does seem to have gone south for winter.  I looked at challenge sites, tried CASeing a few cards and tried creating cards.  Nothing.  So, the fact that I actually managed to get three started – and finished – well, I am hoping that the drought might soon be over.

I saw a great challenge across at casestudy.  What a gorgeous inspiration card in white, blue and black.  With such strong colors and a very graphic design it was hard not to get inspired by it! Amy sure is talented!

I really needed a thank you note for my ex-colleague who has sent me some gorgeous, yummy things through the post.  She sent me fabulous chocolate brownies and a mug that says "good morning, let the stress begin!" that has two birds beak-fighting!  It's hysterical and, considering that we have often been on calls together at 5.30 a.m. and 7.30 p.m., we have gone through some stressful times this year, that's for sure.  She's a fabulous lady and I so miss working with her.  Consequently, I wanted to create a thank you card and this color scheme really inspired me.

I chose to print the butterfly from the MDS "First Editions" stamp brush set.  I sized it larger than normal.  This gave me lots of place to color.  After I had colored it, I attached some silver cord underneath the head of the butterfly for the antenae.  I did initially "fussy cut" around the printed antenae, but decided that it really needed something else and the silver cord really helped lift it.

I really wish the photograph had picked up the shading and colors on the butterfly!  I really need to get a better set up for photographing my cards in our new house!

Anyway, here's what I came up with.

Card supplies – all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:

• Card stock:  Basic Black, Baja Breeze, Whisper White.  X-press it for the butterfly
• Stamps:  My Digital Studio "First Editions".  Sentiment: Papertrey
• DSP:  Patterns Pack
• Accessories:  Polka Dot embossing folder.  Scallop Trim Border Punch, silver cord
• Inks:  Sentiment – Basic Gray.  Butterfly colored with Copic markers

I know the design team across at Casestudy would love it if you popped along and checked out the inspiration and design team cards. 

On a personal note:

Lou and I had a really relaxing Christmas Day.  We elected to cook an early dinner and then choose a movie to watch on TV.  I can never resist Bridget Jones and we noticed that Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason was available on demand, so we paid our 2.99 and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  Mind you, who could resist 90 minutes of the gorgeous Colin Firth!  It was a great end to a day that had been relaxing and enjoyable.

So far we have seen several movies since we stopped work on Thursday last week.  We have seen :

• Young Adult (I'd give it a miss!) 
• Hugo (definitely a great movie and a wonderful reflection on how far we have come with cinematography). 
• The Descendants.  (Good movie, but I wouldn't put it on the best movies of 2011 list as so many critics have done.) 
• Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  (If you have read the book, then the movie is a must see.)  (However, it certainly is not appropriate for 9 year old children and I was stunned when a family arrived with their daughter – around 9 – and stayed all the way through the movie.  This is a murder thriller with some very graphic scenes, including graphic sex scenes!  It really left Lou and I shaking our heads considering the great choice of kid-friendly movies available at the moment.)
• Tomorrow… well, we are off to see The Adventures of Tin Tin.  I grew up with Tin Tin and cannot wait to see it in 3D.  Well…. I didn't "grow up" with Tin Tin in the physical sense… but I think you know what I mean 🙂

Many thanks to those of you who left Christmas wishes for Lou and I – or sent us cards.  They were really much appreciated.  So, a shout out to Adele, Beverly, Brenda, Cam, Doris, Germaine, Rach for your fabulous cards.  (I will be sharing photos of them with you all.)  Thanks also to Kelly, Cherie, Rach, Adele, Beverly and Ann for leaving wishes for us on my last blog post.  It was wonderful to hear from you all.

As always, thank you for spending a little time in my area of the stamping blogosphere.  Your visits and your comments are always greatly appreciated.  Have a wonderful Tuesday

Warm hugs and prayers for those of you who need a little lift tonight.  Beth, my thoughts and prayers are still with you and your family.

Hugs

Jaydee