Self-made SU Clear Mount case inserts

For a couple of years now, I have been trying to get someone at SU! to acknowledge an idea regarding blank inserts for the clear mount cases.  Emails, phone calls even one old fashion letter with a postage stamp!  But there has been absolutely no acknowledgement, not even a "your idea makes us laugh-out-loud... go away!"

The idea is to provide the Stampin Up header that is currently on the CM sets in a JPEG or PDF template so those of us that are removing our stamp sets from the wood, can make inserts that will blend nicely when stored with our new clear mounts.  I would even consider buying their software just to get my hands on a blank template. 

Well, this morning I pulled out one of my favorite old sets (All Holidays) to make a birthday card and decided phttt on SU, I'll make the insert myself.

I needed to scan an existing insert so I used Wetlands (just arrived yesterday) because the title is a single word; thought it would make the process easier.  The insert was scanned and saved as a JPEG file; pulled it up into Photoshop; cropped/copied the header (leaving behind the elements of the actual Wetlands set) and set it up in a different file.  From there I edited out the title in order to have a clean blank template and saved it as a Photoshop file (.psd).  I admit, it took almost an hour but I think it turned out pretty well. 

The next step was to scan the nasty insert from All Holidays that I had made when I removed the wood.  Again saved as a JPEG, then I cut out the individual sentiments in Photoshop; copied them into the blank .psd template; arranged the the sentiments in a more pleasing manner and saved the final back to a JPEG.  If SU ever comes out with a template (digital or paper), I'll buy it in a heart beat, mostly because this one isn't crisp and the color is off by a couple shades.  Until then, this one will do. 

Below are pictures of the set with the old handmade insert and then with the new computer generated insert.  The only change I think I will make, is to include the number of stamps and the year the set originated.

Its gorgeous out today so I'm off to enjoy it while it's still possible.  Hope everyone has a great weekend.  ~ Carole



Front view - old insert



Side view - old insert

New All Holidays insert from old wood set

Side view for new label

Dots and Stripes

It's the second Saturday in March so that means its a OLC challenge over at Less Is More.  The theme this week is Dots and Stripes. 

Below are my two submissions and for once I get to say I LOVE how they turned out.

I used Distress Stains Tumbled Glass and Shabby Shutters for the dots.  The stripes came from a super old SU stamp set called Perfect Plaids. I used the regular Distress ink pads to stamp out the lines.  The sentiment is PTI, but I lost the insert long ago so I don't know the name of the set.  On both cards I stamped out the sentiment and had clear embossing powder at the ready so that I could make the sentiment pop.  The green sentiment is actually Kiwi Kiss and the aqua is Tempting Turquoise.  In the picture the sentiments seem a bit pale but to the naked eye they are darker and of course have a wonderful glossy finish.  Maybe that's why the sentiments seem so light n the picture; the light is reflecting off the gloss.  Oh well. 

 

The dots were made using a 6x6 template by Crafters Workshop called Mini Swiss Dot.  I used repositionable tape to hold the template mask in place and then lightly dabbed the Distress Stains over the template.  I practiced on some scraps first and discovered that not a lot of pressure was needed or else the stain seeped under the template making awkward blobs and not dots. 

I think I like the dots on the Kiwi Kiss card more, but regardless both came out exactly as I planned.  Yay!!!

Now for some fun.  I struggled with last weeks challenge.  It was after making more than a half dozen cards that I realized that I rarely join in on color challenges because they are even harder than OLC!!!  I think it's the balance that I struggle with, maybe I try too hard to have an even amount of the colors when really, it only needs to be represented.  I think that is why the final card is my favorite, it just has a splash of each.   Anyway below is a quick shot of a couple of the work areas in my craft room.  I call the picture LIM109 Fallout!!  This is what happens when I can't get anything to turn out the way I envision it; disaster!  The only things that should be in that section are; the box of dies (behind the bigshot), the Bigshot, the paper cutter, the tall box in the corner and that little box to the right, under the wall shelf, which has some cling stamps in it.  Everything else you see there was pulled while I attempted to accomplish that challenge.  Some have natural talent, and some of us (me) have to work at it.  LOL!!!

Thank you for stopping by.
Carole

Less is More Color Challenge

This is my submission for this weeks Less Is More challenge which was a color inspiration utilizing one of Design Seeds color palettes. 

It's really overcast today so my pictures are not very good.  There is a bit of script in Pink Pirouette behind the sentiment die cut.  It looks really pretty in real life. 

Below are more than a few that are ok, but not really what I had envisioned.  The card I started with is the Thank You card using Lacy & Lovely by SU.  But there are about a million cards with that design, and I think I can say that with confidence even without looking in the SCS gallery.  :)

The next one was inspired by a Viva la Verve sketch challenge from a few weeks back. I used Creamy Caramel on this one but the stamped sentiment looks almost gray on my computer.  I think it's the poor lighting today.  :(

 

These last two were my first tries, but they didn't turn out very well.  In fact they look nicer in the picture than they do in real life.  haha

So that's it; or at least the ones that were actually finished and not tossed before they were completed.  I think there are three more in the trash.  I really liked the colors but just couldn't seem to make it work. 

Thank you for stopping by. 

Thank you in greens ...

This little card is for several ladies at work that bought me a lovely bouquet of flowers a pretty card to acknowledge my 40th Anniversary with the company.  I thought their nice gesture deserved a hand-made thank you card and I hope this one fills that spot.

 

 

In order to complete the card I decided I would play along with this weeks Featured Stamper challenge over at Splitcoast stampers.  This weeks Star is Andrea Hayes, and this is the card I cased:  Birthday Texture by Andrea Hayes

Since I added some paper piercing (I always seem to forget about this nice technique and it can really add such a nice touch) I decided to include it in the Less Is More challenge as well. 

Thank you all for stopping by.
Carole

LIM107 - Up In The Air ...

This weeks Less is More theme is Up In The Air which is to incorporate things that fly.  The Diva's wish to see aircraft, rockets, balloons, etc. 

**  It might actually help if I "published" the posts I make!!!**

The felt air balloon has been in my embellishments box for some time so it's really nice to be able to use it ...... at last.

I'm not so sure this card will pass the test since my background is blue tissue paper.  The number one rule of LIM is there must be a lot of white space.  I'll have to wait and see how they rule on this one. 


***So this was supposed to be for LIM107, however after working up the post, I saved it and failed to publish it so I guess I'll never know if my lack of white space would have been called out. LOL!!***

Thank you for stopping in.
Carole

Retirement and my baby

I'm almost ashamed to post this card it's so unremarkable, however it was for one of the nicest executives I've had the pleasure of working with in my 40 years with this company, so I just had to put it up. 

Nicholas is one of those rare executives in Corporate America that is not driven by a co-workers title.  He is always pleasant to everyone, from the top dog right on down to the file and mailroom clerks. 

He retired last Friday and I already miss his "good morning" hellos' which he greeted me with each day as he walked by my desk. 

He and his lovely wife are planning on spending time with their grand kids and doing a bit of travel.  In true fun form, Nicholas is sure his wife will eventually get tired of him being under foot all the time and will more than likely send him back in to the job market, if only to get something part-time.  He suspects we'll all see him greeting people at the Walmart doors.  LOL

I hardly think so, anyone would be lucky to add Nicholas to their work force, even on a part-time basis or better yet as a mentor for some of the arrogant college grads who know nothing about anything but think they should be the CEO after paying their dues for a whole 6 months.  UGH!


Now on to some more fun stuff .......
My son and his lovely partner had some professional pictures taken of them with the baby.  He sent them to the family in a .pdf file so we could look them over and decide which one we wish to have, so the quality is horrible.  I converted two of them in Photoshop, but even my mega program couldn't clean up the issues, but that's ok because I only needed to be able to see them well enough to make my order.  It was a tough decision, but I went with all of them.   Use to do that same thing when I had pictures made of the boys when they were little.  It just seemed wrong to leave any of them behind. :)

So here are my sad temporary pictures of Austin, Mommy and Daddy until I get the real deal. 

I love having all three of them in a picture. I think I'll get this one in 8x10 for my desk.  This is a lovely picture of Vicky, she is so very beautiful, she looks like she's about 16 in this picture but she is 28.  Jeff is 33.  There is another one of her and Austin that is go beautiful it makes me want to weep. 

This is my absolute favorite.  I want this one in 11x14 and its going in my living room.  Not sure where, but I'll make a spot.  It's wonderful that the background is green because it will go nicely with the colors in my home. 

There are also some gorgeous pictures of Vicky and Jeff holding Austin individually (the one that makes me watn to weep is in that group) but I'll have to share those once I get the actual pictures, could be a few months since they will be coming from Australia. 

Thank you for stopping in and hope everyone is well.

Carole

A touch of music ...

It's so rare that I get to post one of my cards that has turned out just as I envisioned it.

I believe this card goes back to a Less Is More challenge in August which called for neutrals or maybe browns.  I found this one stuffed under my grid pad and there were brown die leaves and several different punched flowers in Soft Suede.  I'm thinking it was the flower that stalled this card originally but since I don't have that barrier, I quickly saw this card another way. 

I really need to take a photography class because I can't seem to capture cards very well.  Plus my lighting still isn't right, no matter how many blogs I read that share how they set up their light boxes.  LOL  What doesn't show up in the photo is that the music sheet is flowing out of a tear in that top layer as are the die and leaves.  In the photo it looks like its all just plopped on top of the card.

I tried to use Certainly Celery card stock for the leaves but it was very over-powering so I dug through my scrap drawer and found some DP with various shades of green; it works perfectly. The little flower was made using SU's new small scallop punch (I believe its 1.25 inches) which is really a great size for making this type of a flower.  The card stock, leaf and banner dies, sentiment and EF are all SU as well.  The music stamp is from Stampendous and I hope it's not upside down.  For that matter I have no clue what that song is and I hope Gretchen doesn't know how to read music or else I might be a bit red in the face when she gets this card.  The bitty bits of pink bling are from a flower pack that SU had on special this last spring; I gave the flowers to a friends daughter and kept the bling. The lengths I go through for my bling addiction ...... so sad. 

So yet another card that was started and set aside is complete. 

Thank you for stopping by ... I hope to get home at a decent hour tonight and begin visiting all the people I follow. 

Carole