Notably Ornate Love Swallows

Hi Everyone.  Happy Tuesday night.

Tonight's card features the Stampin' Up! set, Notably Ornate.  I loved this set when I saw it in the catalog and really wanted to create a card featuring the swallow from the set. 

As there is a vintage feel to this set, I wanted to keep the colors darker.  So, out came Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Basic Black and just a hint of Real Red.

Here's what I came up with:

Card recipe:

• Card stock:  Real Red, Basic Black, Very Vanilla
• Stamps:  Notably Ornate.  Sentiment is from Artistic Etchings
• Accessories:  Black and White striped grosgrain ribbon
• Designer Series paper:  Love Letters
• Tools:  Big Shot with Finial Press embossing folder, paper snips, Heart and Oval punches, dimensionals, twine

Card instructions:

• Cherry Cobbler card stock – cut to A2 (11 x 4 1/4).  I scored and folded the 11 at the 5 1/2" mark and the fold is on the side
• The DSP was cut to 4 x 3 1/2 and the Basic Black is cut at 3 3/4" x 3 1/4"
• I stamped the image from the Notably Ornate set onto Very Vanilla using Basic Black classic ink
• Once the image was dry, I took my snips and cut around the ornate edges and adhered it to the Basic Black base using snail
• I then adhered the Basic black layer to the DSP using snail
• I ran the Cherry Cobbler through my Big Shot using my Finial Press embossing folder and used the debossed side for this card
• I stamped the swallow twice – once in Real Red and once in Cherry Cobbler.  I cut them both out using my snips.  I then mounted them both to the Notably Ornate layer using dimensionals. 
• I punched out a heart and placed it between the two swallows and adhered that using snail
• I took my Crumb Cake marker and colored the white sections of the ribbon, just to tone down the color a little.  I wrapped the ribbon around the card and tied a knot on the left.
• I then mounted the focal image over the ribbon using dimensionals
• Last thing to do….. stamp the Amour sentiment from Artistic Etchings in Real Red, punch out using the Oval punch and punch a background layer using Real Red.  I made a whole using my mat pack and ran a little twine through the whole and tied it to the knot

Tips:

• Don't do what I did….. remember to condition your stamp prior to stamping for the first time – otherwise you get the little white areas that you see on both my swallows.  There are several ways you can do that but here are the two that I normally use… you can take your sanding block and very lightly sand over the top of the stamp.  You can take Stampin' Mist and give your stamp a thorough cleaning and run vigorously on your Stampin' Pad.  There is a film on the stamp when it leaves the manufacturing plant, and it is important to remove that prior to stamping.  I really didn't do a good job and ended up with splotchy swallows!
• I used the debossed side of the Finial press, but it better echoes the Notably Ornate stamp.  The embossed side was a little too over powering.  Remember, to try both sides when assembling your card, sometimes the debossed side is softer and fits better.

On a personal note:

Several things to be happy about tonight… The furniture is arriving… oh yeah…. it arrives on Thursday morning.  So, we will finally have something to put underneath the coffee table cover that arrived over two weeks ago!!!!   

I was also chosen as a winner by two design teams in the last week.  It's always such a wonderful feeling when that happens.  The two cards?  The StampinRoyalty team choose this card and the Palspaperarts team chose this card.  So, I was very honored – and very excited!!!

Trish, it was so good to hear that your oncologist is pleased with your progress.  I know this is such a tough journey – but you are tougher than you think and you are doing better than you thought :-)  Your post brought such a smile to my face this morning!

My honey gets to come home today instead of being out of the country for the next week, so we get to go to the Opera this weekend!  Oh yeah… that makes me happy :-)  Having him home – and going to the opera:-)

I'd like to give a shout out to Missy and Beth tonight…. you guys rock my world.  There is hardly a day goes by without you commenting.  You have no idea how much I appreciate that… so thank you to both of you!

I am also coming up to a major blog milestone.   Nearly 100,000 hits.  I am gobsmacked by that number.  When I began blogging at the end of August last year, I never thought that I would get anywhere near those sorts of numbers.  I cannot thank you all enough for your support.  It really means a great deal to me.  It really is your support that keeps me doing this every day.  I had originally started this journey as a way to force myself to make cards.  I never thought that it would grow to be something else entirely for me.  I have met so many amazing people through my blog and have enjoyed getting to know you through cyberspace.  SO, big hugs to you all.

Prayers as usual for Trish – chemo day today!  For T and Pri.  

Happy Hump Day, Cherie.  I know you are off on a well deserved vacation, but wanted to let you know I was thinking about you.  Brenda, I hope you had a very successful open house on Monday.

Have a fabulous Wednesday everyone.  I hope your day is filled with love and laughter.

Hugs

Jaydee