Over the Top Ovals!

Aloha, all!

     When I finished today's project for the new Stampin' Up! Only Challenge, I told my husband that I thought maybe this project was a bit over the top for one of my usual blog post subjects. You see, I usually try to feature cards that can fit in a standard A2-sized envelope (the Stampin' Up! Mediium Envelope) and that don't require extra postage. I missed today's project on both counts! But, hey, I met the criteria for the SUO Challenge!

     This project all started when we were out on a trip into town this afternoon, and I knew I had to make this card as soon as I got home so that I could include it in the SUO Challenge Blog Post. The challenge this time is to feature circles, ovals or squares as elements on our cards or other project. My husband was driving and I was contemplating what I wanted to do with my project. Aha! I would make a New Year's Card, stamping numerals and cutting them out with ovals. Yay! I had my card.

     The glitch in this thinking was that the only numeral stamps I have in my stash are those in the Number of Years Stamp Set. Rats – they're HUGE (well, larger than I'd pictured). Nonetheless, I pressed on with my idea, stamped the numerals and tried a LOT of different ways to organize them. They were just not going to fit on a standard A2-sized card. Oh, what the heck, said I to myself. Just make a big card. So I folded a sheet of cardstock in half, and off I went. The result is that this card, rather than being an A2-sized card is an A-9 sized card, which is a lot larger that my standard card.

     Then, of course, I had to start layering. What's a Robin's Craft Room card without layering. It's what I do, after all! First I layered the numerals. Each was stamped in Night of Navy Classic Ink on Very Vanilla Cardstock/ cut with one of the Layering Ovals Framelits; mounted on one of the scalloped ovals from the framelits set, using Night of Navy Cardstock; and finally mounted on an oval cut with one of the Stitched Ovals Framelits using Copper Foil. Already we had some weight in this card!

     The layers on the front of the card include a layer from the Petals and Paisleys Specialty Designer Series Paper set (from the Stampin' Up! 2016 Holiday Catalog) and a layer of Copper Foil (also from the Holiday Catalog, and continuing on into another catalog).

     This is an Easel Fold Card, so there's definitely an extra layer on the front of the card. Then, to make sure that the whole card looks wonderful when it's positioned in the Easel position, there have to be colorful layers on the inside of the card, too. Add a small 2017 calendar pad and another stamped image – the "Happy New Year" stamp from Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set and a banner from the Number of Years Stamp Set – cut out using the banner die from the Large Numbers Framelits Die set, and there's the rest of the weight. There is a bit of Copper Wire on the inside layer, but that stuff doesn't weigh enough to make a difference no matter how much I used – and I used a bunch!

     So there's my BIG card – all 2.3 ounces of it with its envelope, bringing my postage cost up to $1.36 from whatever a Forever stamp costs these days. But I already know the special person who will get this in the mail, and she's definitely worth it!

     Here are the products I feature in today's card. If you're interested in any of the products from the Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog, check with me first so I can find out if they're still available. We're getting close to the end of the catalog sales period, and things start to sell out fast this time of the catalog cycle!