It's not going to happen...

I just have to admit to myself that there is no way I'm going to complete all the DTGD challenges - even by August 1. I'm going to try not to feel too down about it and just enjoy the ones I do get to play!

This card counts for four (!) challenges, to use the following: something clear; something with wings; dies and punches; and ribbon. My clear item is a screen-printed transparency from Hambly. I saw this in a store yesterday, having already seen the challenge from Krystie, and picked it up thinking I could probably figure out something to do with it!

I started by cutting a 4 x 5 1/4" panel of cardstock (Bazzill walnut) then using Nestabilities to cut out an oval from the center. Next I took the card base (Bazzill cameo) and cut out a slightly larger oval from the front. Then I adhered the transparency panel (also 4 x 5 1/4") to the walnut frame and attached it to the card base. That way the inside of the card covers up the adhesive used to adhere the transparency to the frame.

Inside the card I put a panel of Dream Street Secret Garden DP. This photo shows the card more from the side so you can see the window better.

I finished off the front with the bird from Friends 24-7, stamped in close to cocoa on vanilla cardstock, cut out, and adhered with dimensionals. The sentiment from Elegant Cheer was also stamped in cocoa ink and punched with the wide oval. I added a small Prima flower with a half vanilla pearl from the pretties kit to the branch, and then felt like the top needed something. I couldn't wrap ribbon around since the card was all put together, so I cut a length of ivory organdy ribbon and attached it to the card front with mini glue dots, then covered the ends with two more Primas and put the bow in the middle. Nice optical illusion, eh?

This was my first time using any kind of transparency on a card - I enjoyed it, once I figured out what I wanted to do. Maybe you'll be seeing some of the acetate sheets from SU showing up on my cards in the near future... you never know!

Gettin' down and dirty

This is my third year playing along with the Dirty Dozen and their Dare to Get Dirty challenges! This year it's all packed into three days, so I've lost count of how many challenges there have been so far, with more to come tomorrow. I would love to do them all, but the only way I'm going to accomplish that is to combine the heck out of them. So... here is my first "dirty" card, which is for three challenges: to use tags, to make a masculine card, and to use texture.

My tag and matching DP are from the Cosmo Cricket Souvenir collection. I stamped the tree from Forest Friends right onto the tag with chocolate chip ink, then added the cardstock sentiment (by A Muse) with dimensionals. I tied a bit of ribbon - found it at a stamp store, have no idea who made it, but it's wonderful - through the tag.

For texture I used one of the SU texture plates and Bazzill cardstock. I sanded the argyle a bit after embossing it - and I feel the need to point out, this color came out a lot more coral in the photo when really it's a nice brick red. I hate when that happens! I sanded my DP panels on the edges, added three copper brads, and put it all onto a light green card base that was sponged with chocolate chip ink to make it look as dirty as the tag (which I only sanded - no sponging required!).

This card filled an urgent need I had for a masculine birthday card - thanks to the Dirty Dozen for the great challenges! If you are a member of the Fan Club, then go check out the challenges and play along - it's so much fun!