I Pick You, Again!

Hello, Friends!

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful day!  No, this is not deja vu.  You're not seeing the exact same card from yesterday.  It's just pretty close!  There is a funny story behind this card.  I originally made it for this week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday Challenge #296:  Small Images on Repeat and the Addicted to CAS Challenge Code Word:  Apples.  However, as I began to write about it for my blog, I realized had forgotten some major points of both of the challenges! 

For starters, I was supposed to repeat the same image three times.  While I did stamp an apple three times on this card, I didn't stamp the same apple three times.  It was also supposed to be a CAS card.  CAS stands for clean and simple, which usually includes white space.  Now white space doesn't have to be white but it definitely isn't supposed to be black and white polka dot!  There's not supposed to be a lot of embellishments and I used black enamel dots.  There also shouldn't be a lot of layers.  As you can tell, this card has a lot of layers.  So needless to say, I made another card for both of those challenges which was very similar to this card but much more clean and simple!  

  

On the bright side, I also made this card for the Color Throwdown Challenge #459, which is to use red, black and white on a card.  Thankfully, I did remember that correctly and got it right!  :)

That is why I used a piece of Doodlebug paper that was black with white polka dots on it for my background.  Next I stamped and die cut each little apple.  I used 3 different apple images because I wanted to use the little apple on the end that I could stamp a heart into the center.  It went along perfectly with the sentiment I had already chosen, "I pick you."  Each apple was mounted on a white die-cut stitched square which had been mounted on a slightly larger square of red card stock.  I used foam mounting tape behind the apples so they'd stand out from the card a little bit.  The little apples are all from the retired Papertrey Ink stamp set, Back to School.  The sentiment came from a current PTI stamp set, Apple Prints.  After using enamel dots on my first card ever last week, I decided to finish my card with three enamel dots placed on each square.  The top of my card was complete!

The black and white background presented a bit of a problem when it came to actually being able to read the sentiment easily.  I layered the word "you" on top of each other a few times so it would stand out from the card a little bit.  (This is actually a "thank you" die.  I liked the size and font of the word "you" on it, though. Since the two words were connected, I cut it apart and just used what I needed.)  Layering the word still didn't help it show up enough.  It didn't look right on a plain red rectangle, so I mounted it on a pierced flag die cut from My Favorite Things, which is also apparently retired.  That's too bad because it's a very handy set which I will continue to use.  The fishtail flag was actually a lot longer, but I was able to shorten it up by cutting the front of the banner with the straight edge towards the middle of the die.  Then, I moved the paper down to the end of the die so I could cut the fishtail much sooner than the original die intended.  This gave me the perfect little banner to bring attention to my sentiment.  I attached it to my card base.  I then stamped and cut out the words "I pick" in red ink on white card stock.  I mounted it on a tiny piece of red card stock, stuck it to my card with foam tape and my card was complete!

I am entering this card into the Wednesday Simon Says Stamp Challenge Stamp It.  I stamped my apples and part of the words in the sentiment so it meets the qualifications!  

Happy Stamping, Friends!

I used the following products to make this card:

Apple Prints and Back to School Stamp Set

Back to School Dies and Wonderful Words: Thank You Die 

by Papertrey Ink

Stitched Square STAX and Pierced Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics 

by My Favorite Things

Wild Cherry Dye Ink Pad by My Favorite Things

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad by Tsukineko

Solar White Card Stock by Neenah

Wild Cherry Card Stock by My Favorite Things

Swiss Dots Rainbow Petite Prints Paper Pad by Doodlebug

Black Enamel Dots by Eyelet Outlet and Brads