Hello and welcome to all of you that may be stopping by for the first time via the 2009 World Card Making Day Blog Tour! I am very excited to be involved with this year's upcoming holiday, a special day dedicated to my greatest passion, making cards!
If you are unfamiliar with World Card Making Day, it is taking place this year on Saturday, October 3rd (be sure to mark your calenders and program reminders in your cell phones!). Paper Crafts Magazine has put together a special website on it's behalf which you won't want to miss!
visit the WORLD CARD MAKING DAY WEBSITE here!
In lieu of the holiday, Paper Crafts has also established a list of talented particpating bloggers HERE that you will definitely want to check out! They even have a special Mister Linky List up where you can add YOUR blog as part of the tour! Super, super fun stuff! All surrounding this little hobby that we all love!
(click on the above photo for a larger view)
I have a special card to share with you today as part of this momentousness occasion. It's a little something I created a few weeks ago when my dearest friends Dawn, Mish & Wendy were visiting for a special girls weekend. We wanted to play with Copics, so we got out a few of our favorite "coloring" sets and went to work. I ended up deciding on In Bloom, one of my all-time favorite sets that I've designed.
For this particular card, I knew I wanted to create the tone-on-tone polka dot background with Versamark ink and also use the large flourish from Fancy Flourishes, but sometimes the Versamark ink can cause a bit of "resist" when another ink is stamped on top of it. So I was sure to stamp the flourish in Ripe Avocado ink FIRST and then stamp the polka dots (Polka Dot Basics II) with Versamark on top of it, all onto Aqua Mist cardstock. The flower was colored with Papertrey's Ocean Tides Copic Trio and cut out.
The left side of the card had quite a bit of empty space that needed to balanced out with something, so I create this border to help give weight to the sentiment. The sentiment is from Cupcake Collection and is stamped in True Black ink. The border was create with my Apron Lace border punch with Spring Moss cardstock and stitched in place with my sewing machine. A few blue rhinestones were added along it's length to add a bit of shimmer & shine. I just love the way this project turned out and I have just the person in mind to send it to!
Do you love stamping as much as I do and you're ALWAYS looking for inspiration specific to this side of the paper crafting industry? Paper Crafts magazine puts out an annual issue of Stamp It! Cards which is the number one stamping reference I look forward to each year! It's wonderful to flip through it's pages and see every single project dedicated to this art form! They just make you want to get out all your supplies and get inky!
There's also some SUPER duper holiday special issues that I love to gain inspiration from for quick & easy Christmas cards!
If you don't yet own any of these fabulous idea references in your arsenal of inspiration, today is your lucky day! I've got a special coupon code to share with you that you can use in the Paper Crafts/CK Online Store (valid from midnight on 9/21/09, MDT through 11:59pm MDT on 10/12/09)!!!
Here's a coupon code for 25% off your ENTIRE purchase!!!
XNNG-7V33-WYRZ
Happy Shopping! You can't beat 25% off your entire purchase!!! So, how are YOU planning on celebrating World Card Making Day? Did you celebrate last year? I would love to hear about it!
Stamps: In Bloom, Polka Dot Basics II, Fancy Flourishes, Cupcake Collection
Ink: Ripe Avocado, True Black, Black Noir, Versamark (Tsukineko)
Paper: Aqua Mist, Spring Moss, Ocean Tides, Stamper's Select White
Other: Apron Lace border punch, Rhinestones (KaiserCraft), Ocean Tides Copic Trio, Spring Moss Copic Trio, sewing machine & thread
Finished Size: 4" x 8"
Love your card, very pretty! Congrats on being part of this amazing blog hop!
I did celebrate last year, and it was my first year card making. I sent 4 cards to papercrafts. I’m sure I’ll get a kick start on Birthday and anniversary cards for my card making friends. Then really need to get a sympathy stamp set so I’ll have some cards for those not so nice events.
Gorgeous! love everything about your card!
This card is beautiful (as always) thanks for sharing!
Gorgeous card…LOVE it!!!
Your card is beautiful! Each project you share is just stunning!
This card is amazing, Nichole!!! I love every single detail you incorrporated on it. As far as Cardmaking Day this will be my first year celebrating it. I have yet to decide what to do. I am so excited to see and be inspired by all the great crafters out there 🙂
Happy Day
Nicole your card is BEAUTIFUL!!! LOVE the colors you used!!! So gonna be peeking in on this fun HOP!!!
On a side note.. and I am SURE you will want to know! 🙂 hee hee! MY PTI arrives today! I hope you know how HAPPY that makes me! 🙂 What a feeling to know you make people all over the WORLD smile with the thought of a brown box on their front steps! 🙂 or in their mail box (as I am getting TWO today. one on the steps.. on in the mail box! LOL!!)
THANKS for sharing your creativity with us!
i did get to celebrate WCMD last year with 2 of my best friends. we made about 100 christmas cards for the craft fair i participate in 🙂 i love your card.
I didn’t participate last year—but I’m all for it this year! Me and three of my great stamping buddies are getting together to make our Christmas cards—-9am to 6pm. We are commandeering a classroom where we all work and we are “knocking them out”—we hope to be finished with all of them that day! We usually mass produce, so we are coming with goodies in hand—ready to go! We are SOOOOO excited! Love your card, as usual! I can’t wait to get my PTI Christmas package today! it was supposed to come yesterday, but somewhere in the mix, it got delayed—-Brown doesn’t know how sad I was! 🙁 I can’t wait to get home from school today!
Just LOOK at how you’ve lined up those polka dots with enormous precision! When are you going to have the Signature Christmas set back in stock. Enquiring minds wanna know.
This is beautiful. I am looking forward to this holiday and all the inspiration that will come about as a result.
Gorgeous card and I love the colors!!
Thank you for the coupon code! I have looked everyplace for a Stamp It and the Holiday Cards and haven’t found it close by. Your card is beautiful!!
Whoa. You make amazing cards, but this one is a real stunner! Whoa! Lots of applause from here! 🙂
What a stunning card Nichole! I’ve talked myself out of it and resisted it as long as I could, but I think In Bloom will finally make it to my basket with my October order!!!
I love your card today!! Absolutely stunning and a gorgeous color combo 🙂
absolutely scroll-stoppingly beautiful. TFS
Gorgeous, Nichole! I agree with you…In Bloom is one of my all-time favorites from Papertrey! Just fabulous and so elegant! What a beautiful card, and I always learn new ideas from you and your wonderful team. Love all the stuff at PTI…LOL! Thanks!
What a beautiful card – the colours work so well together and the card is beautifully balanced. The added detail of the stitching is perfect
I am speechless ~~(my DH wants you to post more than once a day-LOL) Your card is absolutely gorgeous, Nicole. I can’t stop looking at it! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us.
Planned event for WCMD is to get together with a couple of ‘crafty ladies’ and make some of our scheduled family cards for several months out. ie: birthdays, anniversaries, new baby cards, etc.
your card is so beautiful, colors yummy and gorgeous design and style. Perfection!
Love the blog makeover! Looking forward to WCMD and then October 5th!!!
I love all your post. This inspires me to make cards as stunning as to all cards that you have posted. Anyway, I am looking forward to see more of your fabulous cards.
Happy WCMD Blog hop!
Celebration on the 3rd….I will be doing demos at a local shop with Spellbinders products….Love your card….
What a beautiful card thanks for sharing.
Cheers Sally
Ooh, this is such a gorgeous card, love it!