Here Comes the Bride

 Craft Roulette #123 for me, Episode #327.  That's a ton of episodes, and 123 cards is a ton of cards too.  At some point, my goal was to train my creative side to work a little faster with ideas and execution.  I think I have achieved that somewhat, but there have been a few incidents where the time went into overtime for me.  That was this week....  I don't think it's because I have a super complicated thing going here.  Originally, I had hoped to color up an image and go from there, but I remembered I had a new die set (I will elaborate on this die later on...worth the read)... that was specific to a wedding, and I have been wanting to switch up my style somewhat and use dies for this card, rather than coloring and fussy cutting....  Yes indeedy, I achieved that and then some....  

 I will talk about parameters first:

 

#1:  Interactive Card  

 I keep saying I could do a popup card when interactive card comes my way....and I probably would have, but...I really struggle with the picture taking part of an interactive or moving type card, and I really wanted to give myself a break from taking complex photos for entry and blog spiel....  So, I hope you see, that through the window of my gazebo...is a shaker card...with twinkly silver stars...  #1:  CHECK!

#2 Summer Colors

I think this might be the parameter that I got hung up on originally.  I was thinking beach/poolside/hot sun/popcicles colors!!!  I had pulled my Madonna stamp set out, and with research, I see she and Sean P were married in August of 1985/overlooking the beach...  I just couldn't find a way to make it make sense, it was causing my brain to freeze....so, I slept on it, and thought I'd take a stab at it the following day.  What I really had hoped for was to do a card using some of my new fun Spellbinders Dies.... but Mr. Wheel, was sending me in a Madonna direction, I couldn't get my mind off of that...but light bulb moment...  After madly searching through all of my dies (Spellbinders)...I remember I had recently acquired a specific wedding type set off of Amazon ... I had wanted the gazebo, and got a bonus bride/groom and sentiment with it...(more on that later)...  So...bye bye Madonna...  this is where my literal thinking got warbly...  summer colors...geesh...  I really didn't want to go white and black, etc...  so, I pulled a you can make it fit fast one, and went "general"... summer flowers, mid summer night colors...  and later on, I thought maybe the color of summer plums (we have a few trees in our orchards)... and even some summer veggies, like eggplant and organic carrots....  Geesh...  It seemed to work...  #2:  CHECK!

 

#3 Here Comes The Bride 

The last paragraph was a long one...so, I'll be brief...  Bride/Groom/Wedding Sentiment...  #3:  CHECK!

 

#4 Ink Edging

I knew I'd sneak this one in one way or another...  Had I chose to go Madonna, I would have inked around my fussy cut image, to clean off any glaring white edges.  But, no fussy cut image on this card...and I wanted to stay with a "clean" edge look with these die cuts....  Ahhhh.. I knew I was using those twinkly little stars for my shaker pieces...  I made a MOON!!!!!  I took a circle die cut piece and used it as a mask...inking all around the edge of that circle...woah lah!!!  my MOON!  This is a technique I learned through watching the incredibly talented Lavinia artists....  It's a quick and easy way to get a fairylicious MOON!  :)  #4:  CHECK!

 

There, I justified my parameters...now...on to my process and my setbacks.

 

First setback...I really couldn't get that Madonna thought and still can't out of my head.  I just was too lazy to figure the colors and still use the fun designer paper I wanted to, yada yada yada.....plus I wanted to go die cuts all the way, something different for me than my usual ways.  I need to move on ... yet I still have that stamp set sitting on my work space...  and I have Madonna tunes running around in my head still.

 

Second setback....  and I've sat on the fence about this one, because it can get lengthy for me to share my thoughts.  I'm going to start out with:  YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR...  So, I've mentioned I have TONS of dies from the many wonderful stamp and die companies I purchase from.  That being said, I have once in a blue moon, purchased off of Amazon.  Here's where I'm reserved to not share my thoughts, because I don't want to start a huge controversial post.  I guess down deep, I should have assumed some of these inexpensive dies purchased off of Amazon, could very well be a stolen / counterfeit die.  This particular one, if it is, I'm certainly not aware of it...I have perused my supplier sites and placed nice orders even a week ago from well known stamp and die companies....and I don't recall one like this.  I don't like the idea of supporting over seas companies who violate and steal ideas from our domestic craft companies.  That being said, I'm not the die police either, and I have no clue where a US based Amazon merchant is getting their ideas for a die.  I wanted a gazebo, I was placing an order for my coffee pods, and that die ended up in my cart.  WHAT.A.PIA.THIS.DIE.TURNED.OUT.BEING!!!  

 

It wouldn't / couldn't / should have cut...  I went with the embossed look on the gazebo, I managed to get a bride and groom to finally cut out...the words almost broke my Big Shot because of all the "shims" I had to use....  I did find success with my Intra Cut (GK) cutter... but only after 20 attempts of so, and even then, I was afraid I was putting too much stress on my "handle"...  I FINALLY got one, but, the struggle is real.  (I now have a warped Big Shot cutting plate too...all because if this inexpensive die)  So...my bad...I send this as a caution to those like me, who innocently bought a fun die off of Amazon...  I should have read the reviews...my bad, and will definitely be on the know for the future!!!

 

Before I get to my last card set back...  I do want to elaborate on my thoughts of buying things like this off of Amazon.  I see all kinds of comments directed to people like me who mention purchasing a die from Amazon or even the scary Temu / Ali Express.  I'm not one to consider purchasing from Temu or Ali Express, but, to defend those who do...  not knowing their circumstances, it may be they don't know they are purchasing a stolen image/die, etc...  I am NOT defending those who do necessarily, but, I don't want to bash them either.  I think maybe a "buyer beware" approach is more in line...  I have owned my own business for 40 years now, and although I don't worry about overseas copying ideas, I have had MANY ideas of mine stolen by USA/domestic competitors, or customers too.  One competitor actually took the credit of something we have offered our customers (it's pretty unique), and said it was her idea from the getgo, when I know she scoured our product line, and was given info about us through a customer we shared.  I really don't care, my business is extremely busy at times, and I've heard our service and quality is top notch...we are an A+ rated supplier through our association....I just don't want anyone to confuse the 2 of us...  If someone receives something from her, I want them to realize...it's hers, not mine.  There is NOTHING I can do about thievery....but, be a better vendor with service and quality...  there are reasons why a customer may seek out a less quality product, that's not my customer from the get go, they have already made their mind up.  My spiel.  I most likely will NEVER use this die again, lesson learned!

 

My last setback....  I kind of constructed my shaker myself by cutting my window material out using my gazebo as a cutting guide.  Since most of my gazebo cut out windows didn't pop out...I decided, no need to have shaker pieces shake in those areas....I can save on shaker pieces that way....  so...thin foam tape was secured around the areas that I need the little start to shake, rattle and roll....  well..DANG!  They are kind of "sticking" and not shaking.  I hope this doesn't disqualify my interaction here...lol...well...I guess banging the card hard against the table to get a star to fall...is interaction, so...it still is a CHECK CHECK CHECK!  (I certainly checked that box, lol)

 

No more setbacks, just observation...  While I dropped a little flower die inside a storage box by accident last night....I managed to find all kinds of treasures inside that box before I retrieved my tiny die....  including the most beautiful collection of paper that I picked up probably 20+ years ago.  I don't think I've ever used it...and today, I felt it would make a really pretty lining for the inside of my card.  

 

 

It's shimmery, I'm not sure you can tell....  I really wanted to print my sentiment on the pretty shimmery Stardream Card Stock that I LOVE to use too.....  but....what another struggle, the ink doesn't dry, although I know some ink of mine (not Stazon, I don't have any) will and has dried fairly easily without heat setting or embossing, I just don't know which.  I tried dye ink, I then tried a distress/oxide ink, then Versafine Clair ink...then Memento (I really didn't want to use black)...I tried to emboss, I tried to heat set...I found impatience quickly setting in...and decided my regular card stock , will work just fine.  I avoided a major setback...  and now have a finished card for the next wedding we attend.  :)

 

Long post, maybe a little bit of rambling, I know.  I figured it was a lengthy process for this card, I wouldn't expect anything but a long post out of it!!!  hahahahaha

 

I'll try to be quick next time!  ;)