Happy…happy to you and there is nothing more happier than the joy of a baby! I do not make a bunch of baby cards but I will say, they are fun! But then again…anything is it you have the right things to work with!
Today I am using the super sweet stamp, Moon Baby! You know that the end result is going to come out…“just right” when you look at an image…have an instant smile because you can say…“all I need to do is stamp and done”!
Before I started to design this card…I surfed! I think that we have all done this many times but one thing that happens to me (actually many times is) I get overwhelmed and time FLIES out the door and I end up ultimately feeling like I have gone in a circle! Does that ever happen to you?
There are so many AMAZING….simply AMAZING clean and simple cards with this set. I encourage you to google it as I saw some “keepers”. In the end I thought – Susan…just get it done, That is what works for me as I knew that I needed a baby card and I needed it now!
I am serious, the internet is an AMAZING tool that naturally we all love and appreciate BUT….I think that you will agree with this – it can be the BIGGEST VACCUM OF TIME…now does that ring a bell with you?
I learned a lesson from the above…WHAT WAS IT? Well this is easy….I have had this stamp set for a while now and I have know for a while that there was going to be a baby born and we all know that there are 2 ways to go…Girl or Boy! Just get it done, That’s my motto and that is what I did!
Super simple I went – making it to a square card I at least felt that this would be special for the new arrival as there is just something unique about seeing and feeling a square card. The overall size of it is a 4 1/4″ card.
Out came the Stamp-a-ma-jig for perfect placement and out came the Aqua Painter (the colors I used are at the end of the post) but here is a funny – this guy just about made it into the “Circular File” in my work area, the TRASHCAN!
WHY??? Let’s call it patience and that was something I was short on. I thought that I ruined the little babies face.
I first put a layer of Blushing Bride and I thought he looked too pink. I then added some Sahara Sand over top….now he was a weird brownish icky color (this is when he just about made it into the circular file) and the phone rang…I yacked and saw that the sun was out (it had just rained) so I ran outside with my camera…as I am a rainbow chaser and YEP – there was a rainbow!
After walking away from my little cherub and returning, I looked at him and thought – He deserves a life line….he’s not too bad! A bit more Blushing Bride for the cheeks and he was all set!
I am telling you all of this because it shows…we need to walk away sometimes. I know we all know the feeling of not having “mojo” or being frustrated that something doesn’t work etc….WE ALL HAVE BEEN THERE.,,but when this happens – WALK AWAY as when you come back, you usually have a fresh set of eyes and things work out! Remember, this is made from YOUR HANDS…not HALLMARK!
Another tip and addition I did was to take a wee bit of Sahara Sand and outline the entire image…I think it makes it POP a bit more and adds a subtle depth to the card. I think that you will find this to work in your advantage when you watercolor….try it, I think you will smile!
And here is my rainbow. I know that it is not super brilliant but it was there. There is something just magical about a rainbow to me…every time I see one I think of my Mom and she adored them as well. I think that they appear for me to STOP and enjoy and this is exactly what I did and in the end – I loved the card!
I cannot believe that it is the middle of August and we are have grass as lush as it is in May. We are mowing constantly and the horses have some fat grass bellies!
I learned a lesson…the lesson of why did I put off doing something that I knew was going to happen and the lesson of patience. My card turned out and I am happy that it didn’t get tossed. 😆
I wish that I had the time to play with and make a more detailed card…but I knew I just needed to roll with what I felt comfortable with. There will always be times in the future to “play with my stamps” and create something more technical.
This is a super sweet and oh so special baby stamp set and we all know…baby cards are something that are inevitable!
I honestly do not have a bunch of baby stamps but I knew that this one would be a classic one to have. The sentiments are a classic with the sweet and simple images…SOLD!
I could have put this card in one of our regular envelopes and it would not only fit but it could have mailed with a regular stamp but you know me, I needed to make a custom envelope so out came the Punch Board.
Playing up the idea of stars, I took the Oh My Stars Embossing Folder and added that little bit of detail to the back flap and also ran the Aqua Painter over it with a super quick wash of So Saffron!
That’s it for me today! Now don’t get your hopes up for an “over the top” transformation for tomorrow….I think that I had already painted the “time factor” to you and I really needed a card and that is just what I did. Please pop back tomorrow as you will get another dose of this card….just changed up a bit!
My job and hopes for you is to teach you and inspire you to be realistic with what you can do. For me, it just wasn’t in the cards for me to take oodles of time and in the end….I love this card just the same! Now go have a great day!
Love the sweet baby & adorable matching envelope!! The comment about the Internet being a vacuum is beyond true for me. I can certainly learn from you 🙂 Loved you rainbow too! TFS
Hi Sue….So…you are also in that internet vacuum?
I think that we all have that at our homes! It IS a blessing but it also can make that clock spin way too fast!
Thanks for the sweet comment….I think that you will enjoy tomorrows card…hope to see you!
You have an adorable card. Such a sweet stamp. Your use of watercolor is always spot on. So glad you took time to enjoy the rainbow too.
It is a sweet stamp set…I really do not have many “baby sets’ but I am so happy that I hit that button for this one…it is a CLASSIC!
Love the card… so true about the internet being a vacuum.. The envelope is fantastic.. Thank you.
Well….I think that you are REALLY going to love Sunday’s envelope…..I was doing the happy dance!
So sweet and tender…that is what this card is and doesn’t need anything else. Skin tones are the hardest to paint and you did a wonderful job!
Great way to say that as you are soooo right! I took a Copic Marker Class and that was the HARDEST one to accomplish – the skin tones….I wish that you would see the practice sheet I used to try to master it….
There are probably 16 of the same images (a girls head) on a sheet and I practiced and practiced…and then asked John – I can still remember his face – he burst out laughing and then put stars by the ones that (somewhat) looked ok!
Such a darling card for a little one. I loved the shadow around him.
I am always in awe of a rainbow and yours was beautiful. Your tree almost looks like one from Lovely as a Tree. Beautiful landscape.
You are so right…it does look like that classic stamp! That tree is so funny as it does not get leaves until at least a month after our other trees….and it is the last to loose its leaves – I always tell John that it is a tree to make us SLOW DOWN and enjoy the process of change!
Thanks for popping in!
Absolutely precious and the coloring looks perfect!
We both know…it’s all about the great images!
Yep, my brain is going around in circles, boogaloo. I have been inundated with stamping ideas and I am having such a hard time just focusing on something. I love inspiration but then lately I am trying to, well, I don’t know what I am trying to do! Combine ideas maybe? There are all these new stamps, papers, embelishments etc. coming out with the new occ. catalog but yet I don’t have all the stuff from the annual catalog I want like the daisy bundle and the coffee bundle. To me they are the must haves. But, the FOMO takes over and I think well, what if they sell out of such and such for the fall or Christmas? So, I can see what Susan is talking about. I need to take one of the pigs and just hunker down and color it and make a sweet and simple card like she did with the baby. But, then do I shadow it? Do I add something to the background and all that starts over going around in circles in my head. Pigs are easier to color than faces so lets hope I can just sit down sometime this weekend and make a fun, simple card – maybe trying the TicTacToe challenge? But, this is simple Saturday and then I start wondering what she will do for a stepped up version? Well, I for one, hope she doesn’t change much as my brain is going to explode with any more ideas. Susan, you card and envelope are just perfect as shown.
You are a mess! First – I LOVE the word “BOOGALOO” – I think that I need to add that to my vocabulary….
Now I am afraid to ask…. what does FOMO mean? (Please share if it is “G rated)
You know that naturally I need the internet but I am the first to say…it can be a vacuum and I find…it I am trying to find something to CASE….I spend more time in trying to figure out how I can make it mine with changes…so I usually just WING IT and do my own thing….
Then….I am frustrated because I allowed that vacuum to get me!
FOMO fear of missing out! Yes, it is frustrating that I allowed the vacuum to get me sucked in.
Your card turned out sweet, but your rainbow/landscape picture is gorgeous! What a beautiful property!
Awe, thanks! It truly is amazing with how beautiful our grass is for August!
Super sweet card Susan! I love the sahara sand outline, it does really give the image some dimension. So glad you saved this sweet baby from the circular file 🙂
Thanks Dana….I think it does make a big difference. Best tip….go light with the color – and make sure you have ample water in the Aqua Painter…..I do hope that you will try it!