Saturday, July 21, 2012

Eleanor's Blossoms

Good morning! I missed my stamps this week - there was just a lot of other stuff going on. But I'm here today as hostess of the challenge at Our Creative Corner for the next two weeks. I'm calling this week's challenge What Not to Stamp - it's a card makeover challenge! You can read the full description on the OCC blog, but to summarize it here, pick an old card (one you have a photo of), then CASE it with a makeover. It took a bit of courage for me to dive back into five-year-old card photos - wow, some of my first efforts were so.... awful! In the end I picked this 2007 card to do over. This was one of the first cards I published on my blog.


You can read more about this card here. The things I liked about this card were the background technique (I made it with a swim diaper, LOL!) and the colors with accents of gold. I also chose to use swirls, flowers, and a bird on my remake. I took my layout from the Pals Paper Arts sketch challenge, and I'm also entering this card in the Stampin' Royalty Anything Goes challenge. Here's my new card:


I used two stamp sets for my images: Everything Eleanor and Betsy's Blossoms. I started by making the Baja Breeze background panel by stamping the swirl all over with Early Espresso ink. I used the new gold pen (coming in the holiday catalog on August 1) to add accents around the swirls. For the center panel I started with naturals ivory card stock and sponged on some Baja Breeze ink with saran wrap and a paper towel. Over that I sprayed gold shimmer mist and sponged Early Espresso on the edges. Here's a close-up photo that shows some of the details a little more.


The Baja Breeze shaped element stamp is from the Eleanor set, with the bird and leaf from the Betsy set. To make those crisp and clean leaves look a little more vintage and distressed, I inked the stamp and then kissed it with a clean paper towel. I brought in gold accents with two (retired) brads. Finishing touches were a sentiment from Lacy & Lovely, a strip of crochet trim, and an accent flower. It's die cut with the new flower Framelits (the smallest one) cut out from a stamped flower in Primrose Petals. In the center I put one of those super-cute new In Color dahlia adornments.

Wasn't this fun? I hope you're inspired to find one of your old cards and make it over with us this week. Don't forget to check out the amazing transformations from the rest of the OCC team - they are fabulous!

9 comments:

cheryl said...

oh just love how you have transformed your card Hun its just brilliant beautiful papers and image hugs Cherylxx

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

Great challenge, Lori. Your new card is terrific, love the bird and branch. It was fun seeing how we all have matured In our craft and also realizing how the whole paper crafting styles have changed.

Have a great weekend.

Hugs,
Linda

Unknown said...

Wow Lori, what a difference between your two cards! I just love your new version of an old card.

Lisa Minckler said...

I have never done a challenge like this Lori and it was a hoot! I'm not sure I like my makeover any more than original, but therein is the continued challenge for me. :)
Your card on the other hand is GORGEOUS! The depth and texture you've added to it are sensational. Thanks again for all the fun.
Hugs,
Lisa xx

Meihsia Liu said...

Hi, Lori, both your cards are fabulous and I like the pretty layout of your new card. Thank you for the fun challenges.... :)

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

I like them both actually!!! Great theme!!!!

Jenny Marples said...

Really love that makeover Lori. Don't think there are many crafters who wouldn't cringe when looking at the things they created at the beginning, but isn't it great to realise how far we've come? I know I learn more every day. Thanks for stopping by my blog and for your lovely comment. Hugs, Buttons x

Lili said...

Thanks for the fun challenge Lori! It was great because we can see our progress. I like both cards but the makeover makes the focal point pop and the rest of the card complement with your focal point.

ateliersdeval said...

Your card is very very beautiful, i love the colors, the choise of different stamps sets