Saturday, May 14, 2011

LIM15 - One Layer - Embossing

This blog post is two fold. I've got my card finished for the LIM challenge and I have another card that fits both the Less is More challenge and the One Layer Wednesday challenge

With blogger being down last week, I didn't get to finish my comments to all the wonderful entries for the LIM challenge - which was White on White. Hopefully, this week will be a much better week and I can make it around to all the beautiful cards and leave a little luv!  I did leave a lot of comments, but I think blogger wiped them all out.  AND....I hope to get to all the OLW girls and leave a little luv too!
Our challenge from Chrissie and Mandi this week at Less is More, is to create a one layer card with embossing - either dry embossing or heat embossing.  Well, I chose dry embossing - mostly because I always mess up everything I try to heat emboss.  With practice, I'm sure I'll get it eventually, but this week, I decided to try a different technique for me.   I embossed my card front with the exception of a large oval in the center.  I believe there are some tutorials online telling how to do this, so I won't go into it right now.
I used a Cuttlebug folder to emboss the outer edges of my card front, then used the oval nestability in the center to emboss the circle.  The image is a stamp from Flourishes Orchid Collection which came out in April.  The sentiment was part of a sentiment from Hero Arts that said Just For You, and I only inked up for for you - mostly because all of it wouldn't fit in my oval. LOL!  I colored the image with Copics. Not too sure I got the color just right, but it'll do.

This next card is also for the OLW challenge which is hosted this week by Jennifer Styles.  Jennifer challenged us to make a one layer card for a new home.  This card also works for this week's challenge at Less is More - to use embossing on a one layer card.


I used a top fold card so that I could hinge my card on the roof of the "house".  I cut the roof shape, and then cut some off the sided for the "house".  I stamped the window image from Flourishes Windows to the World collection.  I highlighted with a little Copics B0000 and C1 markers.  The roof was embossed with a folder from Stampin Up that I just got the other day. I couldn't figure out any way to emboss just the front of the roof, so I ended up embossing both the front and the back!  I also scored lines down the front of the card to make it look like boards and added a little highlighting to the boards too.  The Home Sweet Home sentiment is from a Maya Road stamp set.  The tulips in the window box were colored with Copics. Then I tried to heat emboss the tulips and made a total mess, but I did try to salvage them by drawing my outlines back with a black pen.  The heat embossing covered all my stamped lines.  I probably should have heat embossed the entire image with clear embossing powder, THEN tried to emboss/color the tulips. Oh well, lesson learned.

Since I was already posting, I decided to share my newest layout.  This is a photo of my first Mother in Law taken sometime around 1945.  I used the Gabrielle Collection from Bo Bunny for this layout.  I did a little faux stitching, by piercing the edges of the paper and connecting the holes with a black pen.  The flowers were punched with 3 different sized flowers punches and layered.  I added some glitter glam to the flowers, and the center are done with Perfect Pearls.  The large butterfly was cut from the patterned paper.  Title letters  "her" were cut with a Quikutz font.  The large diamonds were cut with a Lifestyles die, and the large scallops across the bottom were also cut with a Lifestyles die.  I threaded ribbon through the holes the die made, then added bows at the top of each scallop. The branch the flowers are on is a QK die.  The butterfly trail is Prima bling.

Journaling is tucked behind the peachy mat at the top (the scalloped piece).  I wanted to share some of my thoughts about my first husband's mother with my children (their granny).  Journaling reads:

This is a photo of your Granny Bellew made sometime around 1945.  This year (2011), Granny will be celebrating her 86th birthday.  I met Granny Bellew just a few months before your Daddy and I got married in 1970.  Granny made me feel like part of the family from the very beginning.  She was always nice to me and tried to do things for me when they came to visit.  Back then, I would get upset when I came home from work and found that she had finished the laundry and cooked supper, because I thought she was trying to tell me that I didn’t know how to be a good wife.  Now that I’m older (and much wiser), I realize that she was only trying to help me out because she thought I had so much to do and she was trying to lighten my load.  How foolish I was at 20.  Your Granny Bellew is a wonderful woman and I am so thankful for her love and support.  She’s a strong and courageous woman…a woman who has now buried two of her children and her husband…and still she has a strong faith.  She is a woman to be greatly admired.  I’m just sorry for the years that I was an ungrateful daughter in law and I wish I’d realized what a wonderful person she is much sooner than I did.

Long post...if you made it all the way...you deserve an award! Thanks so much for stopping by! I love your comments! Until next time...

Hugs!


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41 comments:

Carole Campanile said...

Beautiful journaling Susan. It brought more than a couple tears to my eyes. As your heartfelt journaling proves, it is never too late to acknowledge those that we admire. Even if its later rather than sooner.

Your cards are lovely, as always. Guess I better get started on my second one and get those posted. :)

TFS!
Carole

Erica said...

Quite the contrary Susan...You have done your dear MIL proud with this beautiful layout as well as the poignant journaling. Be sure to share the page with her in some way. It's never too late to tell someone you love them. And your cards are just beautiful. Lovin' how you used the SU folder.
Have a great rest of the weekend.

U

Chrissie said...

Wonderful post Susan.
I think that discretion is the greater part of valour where heat embossing skills are concerned.. if it doesn't look good try a different technique until the difficult one is mastered... as you have done.
SO many cards seem to have stray grains of embossing powder (particularly black) embossed in odd areas. Until the skill is mastered using black ink and clear powder is often the best option.
Your projects here are wonderful.
The embossing on the first one is superb and the image beautifully coloured. I think it is an orchid!
Thank you so much once more!
Chrissie
Lady Lim
"Less is more"

Deborah Frings said...

Wow - Susan, you've been so busy. I absolutely adore your LIM Iris card - so beautifully elegant. Something you do really well! And I think your little house is such fun!

Your LO is wonderful - love the colours the image and the lovely journalling - thanks for sharing!

Kathyk said...

LOVELY projects - especially loving your orchid

Kathyk

Zoechaos said...

WOW WOW and WOW your first card is so elegant and stylish and then your new home card is completely different warm and welcoming a little country. your layout is just plain gorgeous three completely different projects and all fabulous XOXO Zoe

Seafield Jo said...

Wow Susan, your colouring of the irises is superb. Fantastic card. Jo

Linby said...

Great work as always. I love the flower card-it reminds me of the victorian greeting cards. I really like the effect of embossing around the edges, I cheated because the folder I used does that for you!
Linbyx

Sarn said...

Lots of hard work there Susan. Fab creations. I LOVE that house card!

Hugs, Sandra My card is HERE!

June Houck said...

Susan, your post packs a punch! You had me with that first card: stunning and elegant. Then you followed it up with two more equally wonderful cards. I love your versatile style.

Suze Bain said...

A beautiful orchid image and beautifully framed. Also, a fab new home card. xx

Rosemary said...

love how you colored the orchid.... gorgeous card!

Meggymay said...

Love your cards, the page is also beautiful. Yvonne x

Carol's Ink Spot said...

Beautiful Orchid card! I love the touch of embossing around the oval with the image. Wonderful coloring too.

Ang C said...

Beautiful work - love the embossing folder you have used on your LIM card

Meg said...

Oh how cute! I love your little cottage!

G Peplow said...

Hi Susan, Your card for LIm this week is stunning and your colouring is wonderful, I love it:0) xxx

G Peplow said...

Oh Ooh Oh , Sorry for got to say, love your card for OLW too it's a sweetie, gorgeous:0) xxx

Rita said...

Beautiful card and your colouring is amazing, it looks so real. Hugs Rita xxx

Anonymous said...

Hi Susan, your cards and LO are all so beautiful. The journalling on your LO is so touching - I think all we DILs can relate to it! xx

Sarah's Little Snippets said...

Wonderful cards and layout Susan. Your flowers are coloured beautifully. Sarah x

Bonnie said...

Your embossed card with the flower in the unembossed area is so elegant and I LOVE the little house you made. So clever! Your scrap page is so moving. I remember feeling the same way when I was first married and wanting to "prove" myself. How silly I was and I wasted precious time being so proud.

cnelson said...

Wowzers!! Such amazing work!!!

Beryl K said...

Fabulous card for the LIM challenge, love the other two pieces as well. Great tutorial on photograhing your work
Beryl x

Lynn said...

What a wonderful idea to make a shaped card for the OLW, and the window is fab. I think I would have used glossy accents on the tulips to make them stand out instead of embossing. This works well with a small area. Your LIM card is fantastic - I will try to do some dry embossing and keep a frame - time to play now I think. Your scrapbook page really enhances the photo. Lovely. Lynn x

Anonymous said...

Beautiful cards Susan, I'll have to look on the net for that partial embossing technique as it looks really effective. Love the page too, great journaling.

Hugs
Brenda

Mandi said...

Fabulous card Susan
what a wonderful lady your Granny-in Law is

Great read
Thank you!
Diva LIM mandi
Less is More

Stephanie Lanzalotto said...

Hi Susan, my goodness, your work is fabulous. The embossed orchid collection card is GORGEOUS, and the house card is so warm and welcoming. I am dying to know how to do the embossing on the first one. Your layout is wonderful too - what a talented woman you are!!! Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I just love hearing feedback on my creations!

kingstonmama said...

Beautiful cards, Susan! The coloring on the first one is lovely, and the embossing sets it off so well.

Your house card is brilliant. I didn't think it was one layer until I read how you did it. It must have been tricky to get it right with cutting and embossing just the roof. The window image is wonderful!

kelly said...

beautiful LIM card, the floral centre is coloured beautifully, plus thanks for the tips on a DIY lightbox, will have to give this a go! wonder if painting the inside of the box with white glass paint would work?
Kelly xx

Lynne said...

Your LiM card is stunning Susan. That stamp is fabulous and you`ve coloured it perfectly.
With heat embossing I find that the finer the EP the better the finish. It doesn`t seem to stick to the card so much, just the ink.
lynne xxx

Unknown said...

Hi Susan, both great cards one so elegant and the other homely. Smashing LO as well - I don't scrapbook very often, but it's what I love when I do do it the ability to tell a little story. And what a lovely story about your M-i-L, think we've all been believing that M-i-L was being critical! Sarah

Sue said...

Two fabulous cards Susan. I must look for a tutorial on how to do the first card. Love the shaped card too. So different.

Beautiful scrapbook page and what a lovely piece of journaling. Sue.x

Dori said...

Both beautiful cards - the floral one is particularly gorgeous - love the colouring and the embossed frame.xx

Aileen said...

Must have a look for that tutorial as it's very effective. Two lovely cards. x

Chris said...

Beautiful card love everything about it and your colouring is brilliant.. Chris xx

Viv said...

Beautiful set of cards, love the orchid one, well done again Susan :O) Viv xx

Anonymous said...

Beautiful LIM card and love your little cottage too!
Helen x

Kathleen said...

Great LIM card and your other projects are great too. Didn't we think we knew it all at 20!
Thanks for your comments.

Kath x

cardsandacuppa said...

I love your embossing on the card, so big thanks for the tutorial I saw further up your blog :-) I will be giving it a go when I get 5 minutes for sure,
Hugs xx

Jennifer Styles said...

Your shaped card is just fanatastic and that embossed roof is just perfect.

Another fab card for the challenge - thanks for playing along with OLW53!

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