Hi Everyone. Happy Sunday
Today, I feel like the white rabbit. I am late! I am late! I am late, for a very important date! 🙂
I don't think I have ever not posted my Paper Players challenge card on Saturday night. However, I only got the chance to make this card late in the afternoon yesterday and…. for some reason…. I just couldn't get this sketch to work for me. It's not the sketch… It was just me. Because I haven't had the chance to play with my goodies for a while, it really takes me quite a while to get back into things. I tried 4 different cards (completed none of them), before I finally gave up and walked away for a while.
I came back and decided that I really wanted to do something with Artistic Etchings – the image shape just seemed to fit – only to find that it wasn't quite the right size. Then, I had a brainwave. My Digital Studio. Yep. AGAIN! I logged on to Stampin' Up! and paid $3.95 and downloaded Artistic Etchings. That allowed me to scale and print the Eiffel Tower the size that I wanted it. You can see that it's a gorgeous quality printed image. You would never tell that this hadn't been stamped with StazOn.
For the rest of the card, I used the physical Artistic Etchings. You can't see it very well, but on the two layers of vellum, I stamped the crown, scroll and key images all over the first layer of vellum, and the underlying newsprint. The second layer of vellum was left clean, and all I did was stamp the sentiment in Early Espresso.
Here's what I came up with
Isn't that image great? I was really pleased with the quality of it. Considering, I have always avoided MDS for cards, I certainly have made up for that this week! I also downloaded some sentiments today. For some reason, sentiment stamps just never seem to be the right size. They are either too big or too small, but with MDS, I can create them any size to fit my card – within reason!
Card recipe:
- Card stock: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso
- Stamps: Artistic Etchings physical and digital (Eiffel Tower digital)
- Accessories: Basic Rhinestone (top of the Eiffel Tower), Satin flowers (retired)
- Paper: Newsprint, Vellum
So, what do you think? Do any of you use My Digitial Studio (or other digital software) to create hybrid cards? What do you do about sentiments when you just don't seem to have the right one, or it's not quite the right size?
We hope that you will pop along to the Paper Players this week and join us and play along with Nance's sketch. You can check the other design team cards, too:
On a personal note:
Lou and I spent some time shopping for appliances yesterday! One thing we decided…. we were definitely going to get another induction stove. When we replaced our failing stove a few months ago, we opted for Induction. I have always cooked with Gas until we moved here and love how accurate and responsive it is. We would have had to pay to put Gas in and didn't want to do that, so we elected to try induction instead. It gives me the same responsiveness as Gas and I love the fact that the top never really gets hot. It cooks so beautifully and I am absolutely IN LOVE. So, we choose an induction top instead of the standard gas top that the builder installs.
We had great fun looking at new fridges and freezers and dishwashers and stuff. Isn't it ridiculous to get so excited about appliances?!!!! It's been 7 years since we replaced the refrigerator that was in the house and technology has changed a lot since then. Our old fridge is working great still, but the newer ones certainly have some fancy features!
As this is the first weekend of our vacation, we also took the time to do "date night" on Friday. We went to see Ides of March, with the ever handsome George! – and then stopped for a quick bite to eat before coming home. It's great knowing that we have two whole weeks together to relax, do things around the house and just have fun. We were supposed to be doing a cruise around the med to Turkey and Israel, but gave that up when we bought the house. We decided to save the money and put that into things we were going to need in the new house. Also, it has been such a very, very, long two months at work, that being at home relaxing was just what I felt like.
I did get time in my stamping space today! YAY! I actually made 3 cards. Yep. 3 whole cards. I am off to go and try and make another one. It was great to "get crafty" again. I have missed it a great deal over the last month.
I hope you are all having a wonderful Sunday and that you have a fabulous start to your week tomorrow. Warm hugs and prayers for those of you who need a little lift tonight.
Hugs
Jaydee
13 Responses
I have never tried MDS. I’m just intimidated by it! Now that I said that though, I have to try it. If something scares me, I make myself try it at least once.
Your card is just beautiful! I love Artistic Etchings anyway, but the way you used vellum is wonderful.
Have fun shopping for appliances! We need to replace our fridge. The problem is that I live in an older home that has finite space for a fridge and all the ones on the market that I like right now are too large. Ugh. We’ll figure something out though!
I have to say, you’ve really shown us the versatility of MDS. I’ve not thought about using it for cards–I do so like to get the ink on my fingers (and, alas, all over the cards sometimes…)–but you’ve created two brilliant cards using it. Fabulous job!
I LOVE appliance shopping! We just had to replace the dishwasher and I was online comparing models, finding useful features, looking at energy efficiency, etc. I’m rather sick and twisted that way. ;o)
I completely understand the desire to just stay put. Although B took Lil to Blacksburg this weekend, I was just as happy to stay home with Miss Bean, having been on the road two weekends in a row. With all the crazy work and travel you two have had recently, a staycation is just what you both needed. Enjoy it!
Hugs!
P.S. Hi Lou! :o)
Such a lovely card Jaydee! The vellum overlay is beautiful and the Eiffel Tower is gorgeous! Your coloring is perfect, as always. Lovely job with my sketch!
How was the movie? We almost went this weekend but then decided to clean the carpets and landscape the yard instead. I was hoping for George and Ryan, Dave had another agenda. Grrr!! But the carpets look amazing, so I guess it wasn’t all bad.
I could never tell from this card that you struggled with the sketch. I love how crisp that image looks in MDS. (I can’t ever get the stamp to look so clear!) How did you do the “greenery”. It looks dimensional. I also love the addition of the silk flowers. You really created a beauty, Jaydee. I hope you enjoy your vacation! You deserve some rest and relaxation, friend. Big hugs your way! 🙂
Jaydee…you are so clever! I never think to use MDS, and yet you have created a fabulous card with it! I LOVE it! And I always love shopping for the house, whether it’s appliances, carpet, paint or furniture! Have fun!
Gosh I am so JEALOUS! I love the card Jaydee and my daughter Brooke would love this card. Thanks so much for sharing.
Isn’t if fun to shop for the new house? I know when we built this home, I had tons of fun shopping for those items…going to be fun again, but not fun spending the money cause things have really gone up in price in 18 years.
Have a great vacation!
Wow Jaydee…this hybrid card is amazing! I never would have known it was MDS! Love the soft background, vellum? Looks terrific. Have fun shopping for appliances, and enjoy your time together!
Hugs,
Lesley
Jaydee, This is such a great card. I love your soft soothing color combination and how the velum tones down the newsprint. The rose in the center of the stamped image is fantastic. Beautiful card!
I love the images in this set and will never get tired of seeing them. You’ve kicked it up a notch with the vellum and the rosettes. What great additions. Gorgeous card Jaydee!
I just love digital downloads! They’ve saved the day many times for me. I understand your dilemma with this sketch. I went through it, too. Your design turned out gorgeous, and I love the layers of vellum. Very cool TFS!
It is so nice to know that the experts even have trouble with creativity sometimes! Thanks for sharing your “block” … but the final result was worth the wait. Just lovely, Jaydee! So much fun shopping … my kitchen is so desperately in need of a facelift … so I can imagine the excitement! Hugs xx
Jaydee – this is beautiful, I love the vellum layers and can’t believe this is MDS! Wow, you totally blew me away with this one. I may have to give MDS a try soon and see how it works.
Have fun with the rest of your vacation – it is well deserved!!!
Beautiful, clean, classic card. Love the simplicity of it.