Sunday, May 25, 2008

...but only because the baby's a gemini...

i don't make a ton of cards "on commission" so to speak... (well, seriously, have you SEEN my cards?! yeah. exactly!) ...but my friend trish asked if i would make a baby card for her boss, who is having a daughter next month. i made this one:

(cardstock: bazzill, ranger; patterned paper: design originals, heidi grace, 7 gypsies, 3 bugs in a rug; dimensional embellishments: paper studio; flower: prima; brad: doodlebug; ribbon: michaels)

...and i KIND OF like it...but it didn't really quite turn out as i had hoped. so then i had another go, in a completely different direction:

(patterned cardstock: wild asparagus; unpatterned cardstock: bazzill...but it's got basic grey swirly white rub-ons...that you totally cannot see AT ALL in this picture; iridescent cardstock from an old greeting card; dimensional embellishment: sandylion; brass charm...which is not nearly as darkly tarnished as it looks...sigh; ribbon: michaels)

...and i kind of like it, as well. although neither card is exactly to my liking, i should point out that both are easily 1.7 times nicer than they appear in the photos...which for some reason are HORRENDOUSLY lit...even though i was under the impression that i was in adequate sunlight whilst taking them. perhaps i made a mistake in photoshop and instead of clicking "auto levels" i hit "diabolical levels"??! but i don't have time this morning to pursue what my friend tracy calls "the uber-scan" so you will just have to trust me that they're just a bit cooler than this!

happy memorial day weekend, american darlings!
(and an equally happy regular weekend to all other darlings!)

9 comments:

  1. You, my dear, are much too hard on yourself ... both cards are fabulous and I'm sure the recipient will have a hard time choosing ... just like I have a hard time choosing my favorite.

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  2. These are both really nice cards, even if they are not pure Lauren-like! You still managed to put some of your style in each. I love the prima in the first card that looks like it is dry embossed with a grid pattern...I may run some primas through a cuttlebug embossing folder to see if ot looks as cool as your prima. The second card has the Lauren-ish brace cloud (what is that called? It's not a circle or rectangle. But it has a brace on the top and bottom with 2 parentheses connecting top to bottom...) Whatever it is called, I love it and it is far more interesting than circles and rectangles :) I want to try this too! I also love the swirly rub-ons you added to the cs behind the crib. Lovely!

    So even if you do not feel these are your best cards, I still find inspiration in them :)

    As for photography, I feel your frustration. Many times my blog pics are too dark or blurry or just don't show off that i added glitter or diamond glaze, etc. There is professional and amateur. What is below amateur? That would be me. You know those pics you saw of J&K on the horses? Those are some of the best pics we have ever gotten of the girls. Guess what? I did NOT take those pics. DH did! He has a natural gift at photography. He has expressed an interest at taking some of the free classes at Ritz camera. He should! Then he should take all my blog pics too :)

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  3. oh my, i think your pictures look fantastic...but you know what your cards llok like in person...i do not...drives me nuts too when i can't take a picture of something and have it look like it does in real life...that said, your cards are gorgeous...i prefer the second one, it has a more elegant feel, i love that paper you used!!!

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  4. llok???

    i believe that should have said "look"...still hung over from working this weekend...

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  5. they're wonderful!
    both completely different from one another (how do you do that? i make the same kind of thing over and over - you always come up with wonderful, new and fresh ideas missy!)
    and i have no doubt IRL they're even more wonderful. We have given up on the uber scan entirely here LOL... i'd rather make more cards :-) glad you hit the diabolical levels ;-)
    and back atcha on the happy looooong weekend sweetie! enjoy

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  6. They're both lovely cards Lauren and I'm sure the recipient will love either of them! Although I will agree and say that they're not entirely 'Laurenish'... it's so hard when you have to go out of your zone. I feel the same way when I do a colour challenge with orange in it... no matter what anyone else says about them you'll never be 100% happy cause they're not entirely 'you'.

    PS I like the first one the best, not sure why but it just appeals to me.

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  7. Well you can thank Kristie, but now i'm addicted to your blog AND the Can I has Cheezeburger site!! LOL. I like both cards but like Kris prefer the first one.

    I *loved* your owl card for June. Beautiful.

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  8. Aha!!! It's that diabolical button in PSE that has been tripping me up. Let's band together to insist that it be removed from future editions of the software.

    Love the baby cards. The one with the crib is my favorite. Beautiful!

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