Masculine Birthday

I took your original design and did a bit of tweaking. I hope it is o.k. It is just easier for me to take the original and make a card to see if I can work with it. I do not have the stamp set you used but tried to keep the elements about the same size. I did change the card from Horizontal to Vertical to start with because it just was not working for me.

The major change was more layers. It seemed that helped the focal point to stand out more.

I did use retired designer paper because I wanted the brown color, but......you could use any patterned roller wheel to get the same background coverage or something like the canvas, twill or polka dot background stamp. That will give the card some added texture. I also added ribbon. Chocolate Chip ribbon right down the middle just adds more texture. I purposely did not add a bow. I put your focal point at the top of the card and left room for the sentiment on the bottom. I used the ticket corner punch like you did as I like the effect you gave your card. Really the only thing I did different was add more layers and put the sentiment onto a different piece of cardstock. I like your card and really there is nothing wrong with it. I just had to play.....LOL! In fact, you card forced me to do something as I have had a stamp block for the last two days, did not even want to pick up a stamp. Thanks for helping me get energized again. Rubber Hugs, Paula

How to finish this card

I like this background and I like the chocolate cupcake. What should I do for the birthday sentiment?
Vertical?
Large Circle?
Any ideas appreciated- this has been sitting on my stamp table for a week.

Help Baby My Card Layout! (updated 9-19)

Updated 9-19-08
I actually finished the card last week and my husband sent the gift today. No big rush... the baby was born 8-30.

I ended up getting rid of the scallop but I lightened up the carriage, brightened it up by adding more DP and while this is by far my favorite card of all time... I'm ok with it ;)











I really like the scallop with the carriage. I have tried this layout 2 different ways but I really don't like either. Is it that the large panel is too overpowering? I just don't know what is wrong so I'm asking the experts (or people who think they are experts!)

Need help with this

I made this card for You Know You Rock's Metal challenge. I am not sure if I really like it.
What do you think it needs done to it or taken away?

You can see a little more about it at www.stampndaly.com/?p=853

Thank you
Sue Daly

Edited Post- 08/29/08 Ok, I took the comments that I received on the original card which is the one in the bottom right hand corner and came up with the other three versions. Please tell me which one you like the best or should I try again. Note: This is all done before breakfast and I am now really hungry :).

Show Us What You Did!

Hey, Ladies! I would love to see what you changed, if anything, based on the comments you received on your posts. Please show us what you did by posting an updated photo of your creations! That's part of the fun! ;-) Thanks!

Ribbon winner

Ladies- thanks for the creative art and critique for the month of June.

As promised, each artist who posted artwork in June was entered into a drawing for a custom selected ribbon grab bag.

The winner is:

Sue Daly

Congratulations Sue!

Please send me an e-mail:
alces.alces at g m a i l dot com

Easy Embrace Life Card

Brenda,

I love the simple card you did, but you gave me a big challenge....

how.....by needing a simple card....I had not done this in ages so....

just for the fun of it..... I challenged my self to use mostly white card stock with one other color. I only used markers. The flower is colored with Apricot Appeal then I used close to cocoa for the stem. I did cheat a bit and used my aqua painter to dab Groovy guava ink from the pad onto the flower. I scored the bottom of the card three times at 1/2" intervals then added flower brads. You could add ribbon instead, they were already out so I used them.

Now......here is my challenge to everyone else. Make a card with a white background and one color card stock. Only use one embellishment and markers to color your images. Use the stamp set Embrace Life. Lets give Brenda lots of ideas to send off to her cousin. Thanks for playing along. Paula

Soda can Embellishment- bare or leave alone

Hello there, I am Susan Daly and I am new to Stamping Critique. This is my first post.

I made this card for Card Positioning System's weekly sketch. My main focus in this card was the oval embellishment that I made out of a soda can. I wanted to highlight how the embellishment turned out.

My question is should I add more to this card or leave it alone. It may look a bit bare.

What's Wrong With This Card? - Update Last (Thanks!)

I thought this would work, but I am not liking it much right now. What's wrong with it? Should I lose the tan patterned strip? Is it the wrong ribbon (the only one I had that was not red + white-white)? Should I not emboss the sentiment? Should I lose the glitter spots? Does it need some more off-white somewhere? WHAT?! Sigh ....

Thanks in advance...





Love the ideas, ladies! Keep 'em coming! I firmly believe in baby steps, and when possible I only like to change one thing at a time. First up is making the eagle pop a little more.


I really like the idea, though I do not think my execution is on the mark. I think I'll lose (or narrow) the tan strip next. I still believe it needs some more white ... somewhere .... maybe ... oooh, maybe some white glitter instead of red? I'll sleep on this and try again tomorrow. Thanks for the help!!!












Here we are again! I broke my own rules and changed two things: I added the white layer behind the blue and I changed the ribbon. I decided to leave the tan patterned paper since the ribbon was not so much of a contrast any more. I might go back and trim the white layer to match the blue scallops ...

I think it is MUCH better, and on its way to being an okay card. :-)

Do you think the sentiment is passable now? I was going to try either leaving it off entirely so the card could be used for any occasion, or maybe using my Cuttlebug Olivia alphabet to do the sentiment instead of stamping it. I may also lose the red glitter gunk and replace it with clear Stickles.

Thanks, as always, for the great feedback!

I've decided not to bore you with all the in-between steps that have happened since the previous post, and just show you this last version; and I think I like it.

I trimmed the bottom of the white layer, and I like it better. I tried to use the Olivia alphabet for the sentiment, but it was wider than the whole card, so I opted for what you see here. I also covered up the red glitter spots with clear glitter Stickles.

Thanks for all of your great suggestions! It really helped me see beyond the idea in my head and make it better. :-)

Kristin.

Kristin, I used your wonderful card as a guideline.
I did not have the same stripe paper and I was to lazy to go in the other room to get the same stamp out, but....I did use your card as my guideline.

Since the rub-ons were hard to see on my striped paper I took them off. First, I put the stripe paper onto a solid color piece of card stock (you can just barely see the Wild Wasabi behind the striped paper). I then added a different piece of designer paper with the same colors to break up the middle of the card. It is mounted on Pumpkin Pie. I then added the flower and since I did not want to go digging for a big brad, I used an eyelet. I stuck it on a piece of pumpkin pie scalloped card stock because it did not stand out enough like your pretty flower with the white edge. I stamped happy birthday, and mounted it in the middle of the second piece of designer series paper to break it up a bit. I added the ribbon and just tied a knot. A ribbon slider would accomplish the same thing. I then added the three orange brads to fill some of the empty space. I loved your layout, I just added too it. You are on the right tract and I like what you did, I just went one step farther by filling in some of the middle.

Rubber Hugs, Paula

Need something??

I whipped this up quickly yesterday after a serious lack of stamping, and hoping something would just come to me. Sometimes I can stamp like that successfully and sometimes I can't. I'm not sure this time. I like it, but wondering if it needs a little something else?? Another sentiment?? Thanks for your help!

Kristin

One time only special offer

To stimulate growth on this blog we are running a drawing from 6/1/08 - 6/30/08. Anyone who posts artwork to be critiqued will have their name entered into a drawing for a grab bag of ribbon. I live near the Offray ribbon outlet and I can stuff many ROLLS (as in 1 yard to 6 yards) of ribbon into a mailer. Ribbon is light and I'll open this up to our international friends as well. Leslie (my co-moderator) and I are not eligible to win, but we are allowed to post to the blog during the contest

Our goal is for this blog to have 1 new piece of artwork posted per week. Help us meet that goal- sharpen your artwork and your critique skills.

I know personally, I learn a lot from reading the critiques- it can be very helpful to hear why something isn't working!