A Quick Card Challenge

I had one of those "just got back from another trip - too much to do and too tired to do it!" kind of days today. I got the things I needed to do for my family done and then took care of a lot of computer "stuff" and then I tried to get a video ready to share today but things weren't going my way. I needed some creative time!

So I challenged myself to go make a card - I had to use one of the many, many trial cuts stacked all over my space and to try use something that had been sitting in my space for over six months without being used - and I had to put the card together in twenty minutes or less.



I found this heart cut from the A Child's Year cartridge. When I first got this cartridge I was so excited to try it out that I cut lots and lots of images (the cartridge wasn't even on Design Studio at the time so some of them were in "surprise" sizes!). I cut some standard pieces for an A2 card - the base at 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 in dark green cardstock folded vertically, a 3 3/4 x 3 3/4 inch layer in ivory cardstock and a 4 x 4 inch layer in the same red as the heart. I embossed the ivory layer using the new harlequin Cuttlebug embossing folder (my neighbor and I ordered these from HSN when they had a special offer for the set of 11 new folders).



I inked the embossed cardstock using the "creamy brown" ink and then inked the edges using the "chestnut roan" ink from this set of six Color Box chalk cat's eye inks. I was trying to mimic the look of the wings on the heart in the chipboard accent piece. I also inked the edges of the red layer and the card itself with the creamy brown.



The chipboard accent was from this set that was sent to me by a friend - I really like the style of this artwork. I have had these quite a while so it was nice to use another one for a project.



I used my Creative Memories precision point adhesive to adhere the heart to the embossed cardstock. It is perfect for intricate open cuts like this one. I always let it dry to clear so it won't ooze out from any edges. This actually makes it removable but I have never had any trouble with anything coming off after adhering and I have even used this adhesive to hold bags and boxes together.



When I embossed the ivory layer, I tried to center the diamonds. I placed the heart so the tip would fall in between two diamonds - I think it looks more balanced this way.



Whenever I add an embossed layer to a card I place the adhesive on the layer below it so I won't flatten or damage the embossing with my adhesive applicator (tape runner or ATG gun).



I decided that the chipboard also needed a layer of red beneath it so I cut a strip 4 x 1 1/8 inches and inked the edges again with the creamy brown ink. The chipboard came with an adhesive already applied and I just peeled it off the clear backing and stuck it to the red strip.



Here is the final card - it actually took less than twenty minutes (but longer than that to edit the photos and write up the directions!). I am still not the world's best" inker" but I think this looks much better than the last time I tried inking!

I am off to get some sleep and I hope that tomorrow I will finally catch up with everything. It is hard to believe that summer is already coming to an end.