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  I originally made it for this week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday Challenge #296:  Small Images on Repeat and the Addicted to CAS Challenge Code Word:  Apples.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

I Pick You

Hello, Friends!

Before anything, I ask that you please pray for all of those in Hurricane Irma's path as well as those who are dealing with the terrible storm surge because of it.  I pray that God will keep them safe.  I pray that He will provide for these people just like He provided for the ones in Texas.  I pray that people will open their hearts and donate again, if it is possible, to the people who will be hurting because of this terrible storm.  From someone with a very limited budget, I understand if you have already given what you could.  However, if there is any way you can manage more, I know the people of Florida will greatly appreciate it.  Even a few dollars or a few bottles of water will make a difference to the people who receive them.

Now, on to today's post.   

Can you believe there's another post to talk about today?  

I'm here and I can barely believe it myself!

Do you remember my first blog post of 2017?

I colored Parker the Pig from Stampingbella.  I said that the phrase "when pigs fly" applied to me a lot because there are so many things which only seem like I will be able to do when pigs fly.  I also said that I wanted to see flying pigs this year as I did things I didn't think were possible.  In January, I would have told you that I'd be able to make 10 new cards in 14 days when pigs fly!  Well, look out, because there are flying pigs circling above as we speak!  You'll see card number ten tomorrow that I made on Saturday tomorrow.  I have to stop and thank God for blessing me so much this year and giving me the strength to become a stamping machine over the past couple of weeks!

Now to focus on this card!

I made this card for two challenges.  The first is the Papertrey Ink Make It Monday Challenge #296 Small Images on Repeat which you can see here.  For this challenge, you were to repeat the same small image from a stamp set on a clean and simple, CAS, card.  I stamped the same apple image from the Papertrey Ink stamp set, Back to School, three times.  This apple actually requires 3 stamps, the apple, the heart in the center and a stamp that has the stem and leaf on it.  To get the green and brown leaf and stem, I used my Memento Dew Drop Ink Pads.  

As you can see from the picture I included, it's got a pointy little top to it which was perfect for getting those tiny little stems or leaves inked without contaminating the other piece which is so close.  (These ink pads are also Copic friendly meaning you can stamp with them and then color with your Copics and the ink won't run.  They're pretty cheap and handy to have in your stash!)  I stamped each of these pieces onto a stitched square shape which I ran through the Big Shot twice, once to cut out the square and once to make it smaller into a rectangle shape.  I tried just putting these rectangles onto the red background but the card just looked too plain, even for a clean and simple card, so I added a small strip of gingham paper I had left over from another card which turned out pretty cute!  I stamped and embossed the words "I pick" from Papertrey Ink's stamp set Apple Prints.  Then I die cut the word "thank you" from white card stock.  Since I only wanted the word "you," I trimmed off the "thank" and adhered it to my card.  Ta Da!  It was finished- three repeated images on a CAS card!

   

One of the other challenge I made this card for is the Addicted to CAS Challenge #119 Code Word Apples here to create a clean and simple card with apples on it.  If you receive my blog by email, you won't get this until Monday but I'm actually posting it on my blog on Sunday.  This meant I got it done in time to enter it in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Stamp It here.  

My card doesn't fit their definition of Clean and Simple exactly, but there are cards in the design team samples that are like mine
so hopefully it will be okay.

You'll see tomorrow why I don't want to make it again!

You can see the Addicted to CAS challenge here.  There are already a lot of cute apple cards entered into it, so be sure to check it out!  You should check out the Papertrey Ink Challenge, too.  There are lots of cute cards with repeated images!  These cards are great to have in mind when you need a card in a hurry!

Would you like me to post pictures of 
how to make certain die cuts smaller?  

I've talked about it twice now but it's probably easier to understand if you see pictures.  Let me know in the comments section, please!

Until tomorrow...

Happy Stamping, Friends!

I used the following supplies to make this card:

Apple Prints and Back to School* Stamp Sets by Papertrey Ink

Stitched Square STAX Die-namics by My Favorite Things

Wonderful Words:  Thank You Die by Papertrey Ink

Wild Cherry Dye Ink Pad by My Favorite Things

Memento Cottage Ivy and Espresso Truffle Dew Drop Ink Pads by Tsukineko

Versamark Ink Pad by Tsukineko

Solar White Card Stock by Neenah

Wild Cherry Card Stock by My Favorite Things

Tiny Check 6 x 6 Paper Pack by My Favorite Things

White Super Fine Detail Embossing Powder by Ranger

Heat Tool

Scotch Foam Tape by 3M

MISTI by My Sweet Petunia

*Retired