Ever have one of those days where you finish a card and feel really good about it, only to look at it again an hour or two later and think it looks completely unfinished? And so the story begins with this card... :0)
Due to some other things going on in life, cardmaking time is in incredibly rare and short supply presently, and likely will be for some time now. No complaints there - all our hard work is really a blessing to be able to do, so don't get me wrong! However, there are some instances when I realllllly want to make a point to ensure I can recognize a certain someone with an original, handmade card, and such is the case with my in-laws' anniversary.
My mother-in-law is a retired teacher, so I also drew inspiration from CAS481 "your favorite teacher" and CT0518 "Mother May I" for the card - though she has to "share" it with my Father-In-Law, ultimately this is a feminine-leading design with the mother of my husband in mind! :0)
I am thrilled to be a current participant in Altenew's Educator Certification Program (AECP), and recently completed their Celebration Stencil Techniques course. It was fantastic - concise and full of creative inspiration, enough so that I was finally brave enough to pull out the texture paste and some stencils I bought last fall after being inspired by so many wonderful bloggers' creations with the medium on their own cards. And I knew I wanted the stencil texture itself to be the showcase of the card, so I left the other details to a bare minimum.
So, with the stenciling techniques fresh in my mind, and the memory I had of pictures from my in-laws' wedding day itself (which we incorporated into the decor at our own wedding reception), I checked with my mother-in-law to ensure my recollection of the colors from her wedding were accurate (not telling her why I was asking, of course - I like surprises! LOL), I got to work.
The texture paste I have (which I purchased after researching more economical yet still as effective alternatives to some of the more well-known products used in cardmaking circles) is a plain white, but I really wanted sparkle. Weddings = sparkle, in my humble opinion, because to me a wedding is always a princess marrying her price - whether or not the media thinks so! ;) I was actually making this card at my parents' house, and had only brought a limited supply of things with me, and in her own stash I found some shimmer spray which I applied to the paste before removing the stencil. In addition, I popped up the ampersand symbol with foam tape to coincide the "popped up" texture made on the background panel with the texture paste before mounting it on a light yellow base with a bit of sheer ribbon.
I loved the card at first, but needed a few minor adjustments to make it seem right. I came back this week and added a glitter wash to the ampersand as well as re-mounted the entire works on a light green cardstock that matched the symbol itself. In the sunlight, it sparkles just about as much as that incredible tiara worn by Ms. Markle as she walked down the isle to Prince Harry last weekend. :0) Viola! Now it feels done! I hope they like it!
Thanks so much for viewing my card!
Blessings,
C
Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2018 GMT Views: 1672
Favorited:3
Registered: February 3, 2005 Location: Delray Beach, FL Posts: 34769
Wed, May 23, 2018 @ 12:35 PM
Wow, this is gorgeous, and while it was a real labor of love to make it (given the circumstances), it turned out so beautifully! The sparkle is stunning, and what a beautiful stencil. I am sure your in-laws will both love it...and I'm sure they will see all the love you put into this card. Stunning! Hugs!
------------------------------ Cheryl
Proverbs 3:5-6 My blog
Registered: May 7, 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 472
Wed, May 23, 2018 @ 8:09 PM
Love the stenciled technique you used! This is so gorgeous with the monochromatic theme, too! Thanks so much for entering your beautiful work in Altenew AECP assignment Gallery. Beautiful colors and design. Well done!
------------------------------ My blog (Yes,Virginia...): https://virginialusblog.blogspot.com/ Altenew Card Design Team Member since Jan. 2017 Coordinator of Altenew Educators Certification Program
Registered: January 14, 2008 Location: Sedro Woolley, WA Posts: 34235
Sat, May 26, 2018 @ 1:00 PM
So pretty and such a great photograph of all that sparkle that is so often hard to capture! I love using wedding colors on cards like this to personalize that much more. I'm sure that your in-laws will love this card!