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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Whimsical Wednesday Challenge: Add Texture! (And exciting news!)

Happy Wednesday, my sweet friends! :o)

I have incredible news to share with you! Stephanie's new stamps are coming out so soon that we are having a celebration NEXT WEEK! The Whimsical Designs sneak peeks will be on Thursday (December 1st) and Friday (December 2nd) at 7:00am EST. The stamp reveal Blog Hop will be on Friday, December 2nd at 7:00pm EST. One random winner who enters this week's challenge will win all four stamp sets in Stephanie's very first release! How exciting! Want to see a sneak peek photo? I thought you might...
This week's challenge will not be two weeks long, but rather will be remain open until Friday, December 2nd at 12:00pm EST. The random winner of all four stamp sets will be announced during the stamp release blog hop that night. My sweet friends, I have seen all of these sets. You know how much I already love them, as I've been bursting at the seams to use them. I have even held off on two special cards I've been longing to make because two of her stamps will be perfect. Once I saw them, I knew I had to wait. I truly love these, as her beautiful heart shines through them. I know you will love them, too! I am honored to be a part of this journey with her. :o)

And now onto the challenge! This week's Whimsical Wednesday challenge is Add Texture! Create any card or project, in any theme, with texture incorporated into it. Like so many, I love this quality in handmade cards. There are so many ways to add texture, from a small accent to a primary focal point.

I decided to embrace the textural element in all its glory. In a recent newsletter from the scrappy store I visit, there was a basic white card with one element: a simple rosette Christmas tree. I fell in love and knew I would quickly be doing my own take on it. With my mom in mind, I designed with a Victorian theme and fancied things up to suit her taste. My textural elements: oodles of half-rosettes, flowy ribbon, a dollop of pearls, and a little embossing.
This wall hanging will soon be given to my mom, who loves greens, Victorian, and vintage. She loves to add festive decor, but doesn't always have a ton of space... or smaller scale items that she can nestle in those tinier areas of wall space that yearn for something. I chose pretty vintage-y green papers for the rosettes, using my Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch once again to make them fancy, and inked them in brown so the layers would stand out a bit. She absolutely adores long ribbon, so I topped the tree with a big bow and then added some extra to cascade down the sides. And if she could, she would totally top her tree with pearls to complete the shape. So I did that for her here. :o) I love the look of a rosette tree and will surely make another one this season. I may cinch in the tops of each layer to give it more of a shape between layers like the newsletter did... we'll see! I like both looks. As far as adhering these to the paper, Zip Dry Paper Glue was my best friend. I expected to be attacked by the pretty rosettes once I let go, but they stayed put! Miraculous product.

I used cream and vintage purple for the green tree's background because it is such a lovely combination, though I don't think I've ever used it. The Recollections "The Ballet" stack I received as a gift provided all of the patterned papers, including the sparkly snowflake divider. Even if it didn't contain ballet images, this would be my new favorite. I think I need a second stack already. ;)

I certainly couldn't give my mom a Christmas tree with no present... so I selected one of my favorite digi stamps from Cindy's Scraptastic Designs! The cute little puppy bursting out of the present is appropriately titled Sweet Gift. Isn't he adorable? I colored him with Copics and sparklified his Santa hat, the box ribbon, and ornaments with four shades of Stickles. (Ha! I'm not addicted... really.) I wrapped gold ribbon around the corners to make the wall hanging look like a present in and of itself, too. :o) At first I wasn't sure about using brighter colors for my stamp (given the rest of the design), but then I realized it's a great way to represent how animals brighten our days. :o) He's a pop of Christmas cheer!

I would love for you to play along with us this week by linking up your textural cards/projects at the home of the Whimsical Wednesday Challenge: Whimsical Designs. (You'll also find information on this week's prize on the challenge post!) I am excited to see your creations. And guess what? We are nearing Stephanie's stamp release... one week closer! I am eager to create with her wonderful stamps and am sure you will love them, too. :o)

Be sure to skip on over to the rest of the Design Team's blogs to see their wonderful projects! Thank you so much for visiting me today... you make my heart ultra sparkly. Have a whimsically beautiful day! :o)

Challenges entered:
 * Winter Wonderland~ Awwww, what a cutie! (Hehe! LOVE this theme!)
 * Lollipop Crafts~ Anything Goes!

Key Recipe Components:
 * Cricut cartridge: Elegant Edges
 * Cuttlebug embossing folder: Swiss Dots
 * Paper: Bo Bunny (green mat), Papertrey Ink, Recollections
 * Stamp: Sweet Gift from Cindy's Scraptastic Designs
 * Copics: E31, E33, E57 (puppy); R22, R24, R27 (bow); YG11, YG13, YG17 (box); G28 (pine needles); Y11 (ornaments)
 * Punch: Martha Stewart Doily Lace
 * Pearls: Recollections
 * Ribbon: stash
 * Stickles: Christmas Red, Diamond, Gold, Stardust

Photobucket

20 comments:

  1. Very pretty! I love how you did the pleated tree. Tfs and have a great day. :)

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  2. What a beautiful card. Thank you for joining us this week at Winter Wonderland love Linda

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  3. O My, this is beautiful! I would love to case the tree! Your mom is going to love it. I love the colors those greens are gorgeous! The little doggie peeking out is adorable!
    Thanks for linking up with us at Lollipop Crafts!
    :)

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  4. Gorgeous hanging Karen.I love the colours and your fabulous tree.Beautiful as always.Happy Thanksgiving.
    Hugs
    jayne x

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  5. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

    *dreams about waking up on Chrsitmas morning and finding that precious little puppy waiting for me to huggler* TEE HEE!

    OMJ! Your sweetest mommy is going to flip when you give her her present! OMJ! It is sooooooooo gorgeous, Sunshine! How do you make the tree become 3D and have such gorgeous folds like that?! You are just beyond incredible, do you know that my Super Crafting Sparkles?! SQUEEEEEE!!! *pets the pretty pearls on top because I simply can't resist*

    I am just crazy over the colours you chose for the background, sis. That is for sure my new most fav set of papers too. I simply can't stop staring. Aren't they stunning?! And OMJ! Just look at how flawless that beautiful ribbon is! The way you placed it sis is just genius. It truly makes everything stand out SO gorgeously. *stares forever* Hurry sis! Go give it to your mommy now! She is going to be soooooooooooooooo excited! SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!!! *counts down seconds with you until the big reveal*

    *hides a present for you under the happy tree next to the puppy* No touching it puppy! Paws off please...That is for my sis! Tee hee!

    *gives you the most giant happy happy Thanksgiving squisher EVER*

    I LOVE YOU SUNSHINE!!!!!
    ~~~Christina :)

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  6. Hi Karen,Your card is soooo SUPER CUTE!I LOVE the tree and AWESOME job with my digi,Have a GREAT thanksgiving!!:)

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  7. Oh Karen, this is just MARVELOUS! SO SO CUTE! I love the way you did the tree and the cute little dog! The card shape and all the ribbons are beautiful and I just love the pearls at the top of the tree! Great job!

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  8. BEAUTIFUL!!! Love the fabulous dimension of the tree and Cindy's little image beneath looks adorable. Who wouldn't love a Christmas tree topped off with pearls!!! Mine just flops over from some overweight, gaudy star! LOL!

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  9. Karen, this wall hanging is fabulous!!!! I just love it. You are so talented:) Your mom will love this for sure:) Thank you so much for all the awesome comments you leave on my blog. I read them all and I really appreciate everything you say. I will be entering this challenge tomorrow:) My post is almost done:) Have a very Happy Thanksgiving Karen. God Bless:)
    ~Madison funkycards.blogspot.com

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  10. Karen, i too appreciate all of your awesome comments that you leave on my blog... you are such an inspiration... i always feel your comments are from your heart. Thank you my friend. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.. You are truly a blessing and your mom is going to love the card.. it's just gorgeous... hugs from ukiah

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  11. This is beautiful Karen! Your Mom is going to love it! You really incorporated so many things that she loves and that will make it all the more special for her. I love the rosette tree, that is such lovely texture. And the pearl topper is so elegant. The ribbon adds a nice flowy feel,and the sweet little pup in the present is adorable, who wouldn't want him as a gift (maybe without the house-training though, LOL!)
    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving my friend!
    Sabrina :)

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  12. Oh I love that tree.. the folding and all the edge punching, absolutely beautiful..
    hugs
    Nanné

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  13. Karen this is so gorgeous! I love all the colors and the entire LO of it is just perfect! OMG Karen..how cute is Cindy's little digi under that tree. Wow you gave it so much dimension too. I love all the texture on this. Wonderful inspiration added to the challenge this week....great job. I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving;) Hugs !

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  14. I love, love, love your Christmas tree!!! Oh & that cute little puppy underneath is just priceless! Happy Thanksgiving!
    Puppy Hugs,
    Wendy

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  15. Oh Karen,
    This is so beautiful and cleaver! Your Mom is going to love it.
    I love the back-story too! As usual you put so much thought in everything you make. I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful.

    Hugs, Pam at http://craftycards4u2.blogspot.com/

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  16. Karen this is breath-taking!!! I absolutely love your rosette tree!! The pearls and the ribbon enhance the beauty of this Victorian inspired tree! The colors are perfect and so is the Sweet Gift under the tree!!! Your mom is going to adore this card!!! And I am definitely going to try this for myself!!!
    hugs,
    joni

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  17. hi karen love your tree with the added pearls and cindys digi image is so cute under it all have a super fun day :)

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  18. Oh wow, Karen, this is just amazing!! The rosette tree is so clever and gorgeous and fun!! The pearls are such a great touch! What an absolutely beautiful card for your Mom!! Another fabulous, amazing project my sweet friend! I am definitely going to try one of these beautiful rosette trees!!

    I hope you had a very safe, happy and blessed Thanksgiving!!

    Lisa :)
    indymermaid.blogspot.com

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  19. Another fantastic card! I LOVE the rosette tree and the pretty little pearls on top. WOW, so pretty! You don't miss a detail...love the cute little image in the corner and pretty ribbon. Super cute Christmas card!
    Sherrie K
    http://sherriescraps.blogspot.com

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  20. Your Mom is just going to love this! Sooo pretty that I just may have to make one for myself! xxD

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Thank you for leaving some love! Have a beautifully blessed day. :o)

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