Thinking about all my scrapbooking paper this week, intending to do some organizing and labeling of its containers, plus finalizing plans for some Valentine mini-album pages for a swap had me all inspired to make a Valentine! Makes sense, right? And yes, just one.
I don’t really send out cards, but once I thought of creating a Valentine, I just had to do it. It’s done completely from scratch, designed in my own little head. I handcut all the hearts and decorative edges. (Yes, I know it shows!) Officially I should have been doing many other things, but by not getting out the proper tools, I wasn’t officially Doing Something Else, right? Isn’t that the way it works?
Stage 1 on the left, and the finished card on the right. I got to Stage 1 pretty quickly on Saturday, but knew I needed to walk away and let more ideas come to me. Sure enough when I sat down on Sunday for a little bit, I realized I needed to repeat some of that lovely almost-black color that “forever” is written in.
Since my paper stash is pretty abundant, I was able to find a good piece of coordinating black print cardstock to use … from a 6″x6″ pad I just bought! Paper stash fail! But I really like the way this black print anchors the whole card, don’t you?
In defense of my stashing habits, I will tell you that the red cardstock and the 3 other paper prints I used all came from the stash, and are all from different manufacturers. With enough choices, something is eventually going to match something else! These papers together really made me smile. There’s plenty of green, lots of vibrant pinks, and that bit of charcoal in the large floral print gave me even more reason to choose black as an accent color. Paper stash win, for sure!
After that, I realized a shopping trip was in order. Amongst all my embellishments, I had not one flower that would work for what I wanted to do. Embellishment stash fail! There’s getting to be a theme here.
Isn’t that white paper flower gorgeous? I swapped its original rhinestone center for the bright nickel I had chosen for the “us” frame and the journaling tag’s eyelet.
And then those pink paper roses! Love them! Some editing of petals and leaves happened so that the little frame could nestle in just right. Those are the kinds of crafting challenges I love to have :)
Shopping for crafty things with intent is a lesson I try to practice these days. Not so in the past, but I am mending my ways! Heading into the craft store to buy pink flower embellishments was a test. I passed with flying colors I am proud to say! The fact that I bought three packages of flowers doesn’t change that truth. You never know what’s going to end up working best until you can sit and move things around a few times — I needed choices. The remainders? They’ll get used!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you!
Gail
Alicia O'Bryant - super cute card! love all the details!02.12.2015 – 6:02pm
admin - Thank you, Alicia, and thanks for stopping by :) –Gail02.13.2015 – 12:54am