Evolution of a Challenge Card!

Aloha, all!

     You all know that I LOVE card challenges.  They really help me get my creative thoughts going in at least some direction – I rarely ever stand and stare at my work table and wonder what to do next because there are so many challenges around!

     I made today's card based on last Thursday's Create with Connie and Mary challenge.  I do use their challenges to get me going quite a bit.  But this time, I decided to get a card done in time actually to make it an entry into the challenge!

     The challenge was to make a project using Very Vanilla Card Stock and Champagne Glimmer Paper. 

     So – how did I get from that challenge to this card?

     Actually, I've had the large Paper Doily Sizzlit out on my work table for a week or so.  I had used it to make a doily using the Red Glimmer Paper, but hadn't decided what to do with it for a card (or other project).  As I obviously couldn't use it for a Champagne and Vanilla project, I just HAD to cut another doily.  Three hints for cutting glimmer paper with the Doily Sizzlit:

1. Cut it with the white backing paper facing the Sizzlit.  I rarely cut paper with the "good" side facing directly into a cutting pad because the scratches in the cutting pad transfer themselves onto the card stock being cut.  While I'm sure that's the case with the glimmer paper, too, you definitely will not be able to see the scratches with all that, well, glitter!
2. Use a shim to increase the pressure of the Big Shot slightly.  I used a piece of Very Vanilla card stock. While I needed the shim for my Big Shot, you may not need it for yours, or you may need something not quite as thick as the white or vanilla card stock.  Definitely don't force anything through your Big Shot if you have to do more than press slightly heavily on the turning knob.  Let's not break things!
3. Press the cut pieces out of the doily from the front (glimmer side) towards the back.  That way if a piece catches and starts to tear, it will be the backing that will start to tear, not the glimmer side.

     Back to my card.  With all the work that went into getting that nice doily cut, I wanted it ALL to show up on the card.  So I quickly decided on a square card, with a layer of glimmer and then another layer of vanilla.  Nice and classic.  But just putting the doily on top of that didn't really seem to show it off as much as I wanted. So I went looking through my framelits to see if I could find something to put behind it other than a plain square.  I first tried to the Floral Frames Framelits, but the look wasn't what I wanted – too many points or curves with all those points and curves that were already in the doily.  Finally I settled on the Window Frames Collection Framelits.

     While I loved the look of the Windows Frames, I didn't like the plain corners of the Very Vanilla Layer behind the Glimmer Paper Window frame.  Had I planned this card, rather than letting it develop like Topsy, I could have used an embossing folder or even just some lines made with a scoring tool.  That's when I thought of just cutting a square outline for the corner.  I did this by first punching a square in Very Vanilla Card Stock with the 1" Square Punch, and then cutting the paper again with the 1-3/8" Square Punch.  I did this twice, and then cut each of the pieces on the diagonal, gluing one piece in each of the four corners.

     I was about to say that the rest was pretty simple, but I forgot about that heat embossed greeting.  I tried it just using Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder.  But it looked just too shiny for me.  So I mixed together some of the Gold Powder with some Iridescent Ice powder.  That gave me a lighter look that felt just right.

     NOW the rest was easy!  Just layer the greeting onto the Doily/Vanilla Window Frame layer, and then add that layer to the card with some Stampin' Dimensionals! 

     I love working with Glimmer Paper and hope that the Champagne color appears in next year's annual Stampin' Up! Catalog!  I don't have enough room in my craft room or I'd definitely stock up on the Champagne before the Holiday Catalog purchase period ends on January 3rd!  I hope you like it enough and have enough room to stock up on it, though!  You'll definitely have fun using it for Wedding and Shower projects that are sure to come up in the Spring!

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What Fun!  Create With Connie and Mary named this one of their Top 3 for the Challenge!  Thanks, ladies!