Friends Who Make a Difference

I have to confess that SU's Sage Shadow is about my all-time favorite color. And because I love it so much, I force myself NOT to use it. Is that crazy or what? Well, I could hold out no longer! Verve holds a weekly Viva la Verve sketch challenge with a twist, and this week's challenge only allowed us one type of embellishment. I chose brads. Then, I paired brown and my favorite Sage Shadow. There are three different stamps on here (also part of the challenge). All three are from Verve's Fairy Tales set...so very pretty!
I just love the sentiments in this set (well, in all the Verve sets). This is going to be a pick-me-up for a dear friend who's going through a rough time right now. She can expect this card and a Verve-a-licious treat in the mail next week! Go here for more info on Verve's challenges.
Project Recipe
Paper: PTI Dark Chocolate, PTI Kraft, SU Sage Shadow, K&Co. Classic K Baily PP
Stamps: Verve Fairly Tales
Accessories: cuttlebug, Victorian embossing folder, brown brads (unknown), Paper Studio blue pearl brad, Fiskars Effervesence border punch, embossing powder, heat toold, Paper Shaper 1.5 scalloped circle punch, SU 1 3/8 scalloped circle punch, Nestabilities Classic Scalloped circle die, SU Boho Blossoms punch

Finishing Details

Have you been to Becky Fleck's Page Maps site? Becky creates some absolutely fantastic sketches for scrapbook layouts and cards. I pulled this sketch from the archives. This is a sketch from December 2007. I had printed out the page some time ago, said I was going to pick one and use it, but never did. Know what I'm talking about? Ever done that? Well, I finally, just decided to buckle down and complete the whole project from selecting a sketch to complete design.

My friend, Amy, gave me some Close to My Heart clear acrylic shapes. It was a variety pack that had these two brackets which I thought would work great for a masculine card. I used my copic airbrush set with my compressor that my sweet husband and sons gave me for Mother's Day to color the clear brackets this rich brown. I need to use up my abundant supply of SU Baja Breeze CS and coordinating patterned papers so I can make room for the new in-colors, so I decided to use it here. I imitated the brackets with a Fiskars border punch.

Now I really liked this, but I kept thinking it didn't pop. I decided it needed some matting in a contrasting color. Everything was glued down pretty good, so I completed a whole new card with the same materials and sketch.

I didn't have another pair of brackets. Therefore, I dusted off my Cricut and pulled out some PTI clear cardstock and cut out another set of brackets. I airbrushed them just like I had the other pair and recreated the sketch. This time I added a Chocolate Chip mat behind the main image and used chocolate chip to create a mat for the border, too. I went with blue brads this time, but otherwise it's pretty much the same card. It just "pops" a little more now!

Project Supplies

Paper: SU Whisper White CS, SU Chocoloate Chip CS, SU Baja Breeze CS, SU Parisian Breeze PP

Stamps: SU Congrats (Sale-abrations)

Accessories: CTMH Clear Shapes, PTI Clear Cardstock, Cricut, Plantin Schoolbook cartridge, copic airbrush kit, compressor, copic marker E65, Paper Studio brads, Fiskars Upper Crest border punch