Sunday, December 5, 2010

...missus trash you've got a lovely daughter...*

it's true! missus trash does in fact have one of the loveliest daughters around: she's VERY mature. she's extremely intelligent. in fact, she is completely sorted out**. i am hoping when she's old enough to travel alone she will dash over here and give me some tips, actually! :)

so obviously when her mama asked if i would like to make a bit of a card for her birthday i wholeheartedly said, "YES!" after a bit of questioning, i learned that her favorite colors are purple, champagne gold & silver; that she prefers somewhat muted tones to mega-brights; that she likes the little banners i've been putting on cards lately; and that some meaningful words to her are "love" and "life" and "peace". i let all that swirl around in my brain for a bit, and this is what emerged:



(patterned paper: house of 3 for pink paislee, best creation, bo bunny, basic grey, gcd + russian book paper; transparencies: creative imaginations, hambly; banner alphabet: my mind's eye (from the december pixie dust kit!); winged heart die: tim holtz; butterfly punch: martha stewart; gems: recollections; adhesives: tombow monorunner, 3m foam tape, uhu gluestick, sewing machine; other: flattened out soda can (!!!) xyroned onto some scrap cardstock)

i started with the cool heidi swapp "mistable" paper as a background because i thought it would look great dyed purple. and it did look great...but...i lost all the detail on the fabulously ornate frame element, so after a bit of experimenting and attempted adaptations, i did what i rarely do: i went back to the lss and bought more of that exact same paper! i think it was a good call. i like how the purple and gold and silver bits pop *more* by being on the pale creamy background.


also... had i not made that trip, i wouldn't've learned how to use my cuttlebug on flattened out SODA CANS*** (!!!!!) and i'd've cut the crown and wings out of silvery paper rather than real METAL and thus they would have only a fraction of their coolness!


sorry to keep giving you these oddly tilted shots, but it's the only way i can ever capture the dimensionality of things; and since i spend nearly as long deciding how to make each element stand out from the rest while still working together as a whole, i really like to show that! here you can see that i've concealed tiny bits of foam tape aound the inside of the opening of oval window, so that it stands slightly away from the background...but i've sewn the edges of the paper flat against the mat. the wings & crown are each on their own layer of foam tape...the heart is on TWO layers. the banners are similarly raised. the hand-cut transparency flowers have their stems machine-sewn flat to the page...but their blossoms have been left un-attached, and i've bent them up a bit for extra "oomph".

and thus i conclude this post with a hearty

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

wish to the young lady in question!



*feel free to sing this in the style of herman's hermits. in fact, if possible, please do sing this in the style of herman's hermits; because i don't think the joke really works, otherwise. (if you're at work you don't have to sing outloud...maybe just hum a little, under your breath...?) :)

**with the occasional exception of a PE bag...but that may be more of a political protest than a lack of organization...a stance i support wholeheartedly!

***you HAVE TO try this. seriously. like......now! g'head. i'll wait! (...lauren hums contentedly for a bit...) SEE?! is that the BEST THING EVER, or what?? yeah. told ya! :) :) :)

23 comments:

  1. Those pop can embellishments are amazing ... well, the whole stinkin' project is amazing, but those are particularly snazzy.

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  2. your card is soooo pretty! i love the color combo you've used. wowee, what wonderful details! ahhh, those butterflies and the banner....love what you've done with the TH die. fabbie. thanks for sharing and have a wonderful Sunday! *hugs* steph :)

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  3. Oh what a gorgeous card!!! I LOVE it! And I love the name of your blog--so clever! It makes me smile.
    XO

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  4. Oh wow, I just became your 200th follower!!!

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  5. I've been trying for a really, really long time to NOT buy a cuttlebug and dies and plates, and, and, and... And I am gonna start calling you the paper product pusher. instigator. provocateur. and now I'm gonna be all reactive (reactionary?) and rush out to Michaels with a coupon and my LSS buy all the parts I need 'cause when I grow up, I want to be an artist like you. those pop can cut outs are the best, maybe better than the WG deer...

    awesome! such a special birthday card! love it all.

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  6. Love this amazing collage card! So much to see and enjoy! Now I am humming the tune!

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  7. Wow, these colors are just gorgeous together, and of course I love all the dimension! You know I'm gonna try that soda can thing!

    (-: Heidi

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  8. Well what can I say.. Another masterpiece. Fantastic Lauren. All the customers requirement are the and the
    the color combo are just amazing. I LOVE those purple flowers. Big hug to you!!

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  9. So neat! I've never seen you work with these colors so its neat to see. Flattened soda cans??? Cool! I love the card it turned out fantastic. She's going to totally love it.

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  10. I love the soda can bits - if nothing else, you're a great recycler!!! If I ever start drinking soda again, I'll send you the cans!!!

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  11. What a cute card! The colors and papers are lovely! I'm sure the young lady in question will love it.

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  12. okay, love this, BUT what caught my attention was the title, because we've been listening to that song FREQUENTLY here! it's one of the newer ones my hubbin wants us to cover!

    you never cease to make me shake my head with a big "wha?!". hope we CAN get together soon - how is this week for you? monday is bad but i THINK the rest of the week is okay! i finish around 5:15 all week, and i'm only in West Trenton for the next two weeks. whatcha fink?

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  13. I'm still laughing ... what a post ... I love the card and using soda cans is just so cool! Love this work of art ... should be in the Tate or something ...

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  14. What happened?!?!?!?! I put up a mahoosive comment about how adored this card is and how terribly clever and amazing you are and it's gone! BAH!

    Let me reiterate that *everytime she sees it Pr. C-W still smiles broadly *I am beside myself about the soda can/cuttlebug thing and will be passing info on to me painting teacher who sometimes lets me play with her c/bug AND * I was singing that song in the title before I even read yr instruction ;-)

    Thank you again Lauren, my girl is delighted.

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  15. awww.....you are so sweet and with the colors and papers , all are really in the matching eye catching card..

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  16. WOW!! Soooooooo incredibly gorgeous!! I'm so in awe of your skills!

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  17. wow! gorgeous card, Lauren! beautiful design and that little banner is the cutest! love this!

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  18. What can I say, its PURPLE color! YAY!!!!!

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  19. What can I say, its PURPLE color! YAY!!!!!

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  20. Missus Trash also has a very *lucky* daughter! :)
    Very gorgeous darlin! I love how you worked in so many of her favorite things. Cause, when you think about it, isn't that why we do this crazy craft?!

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  21. This card is amazing and perfect to every last detail. And soda cans? Wowee...you know I am your #1 fan, but seriously every post puts you further and further out front of any chance of competition from other crafty artists.

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  22. I did sing like Herman's Hermits and despite the funny looks from people in the office - it's all good! This is an absolutely beautiful card.

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  23. Soda cans? Cuttlebug??!!?? That's it, I'm off to find a soda can!

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the *BEST* part of blogging is the comments, dontcha think? thanks for taking time to leave one! ~♥~