Sunday, October 24, 2010

CAS90 Gingham!

This week's CAS challenge is ways to use gingham.  Once again I was stumped.  I didn't want to make a card and just tie a gingham ribbon on it.  I didn't want to make a baby card, either, even though babies and gingham go so well together.  I wanted to come up with something really creative using gingham.  Many thoughts came to mind, but executing them would have been a real challenge.

One thought was a checkered race flag.  I have no stamps for that, and my drawing skills aren't that skilled.  Another thought was a gingham tablecloth.  Once again, no stamps and lack of drawing skills.  A picnic with ants crawling around on a red and white checkered cloth - way too complicated.

What was I going to do?  I waited too late to start thinking about this week's challenge, and I was feeling the pressure.  So I slept on it.  And I made cards all night long.  In the morning when I told my husband I had been making cards all night, he replied "Literally or figuratively?"  He knows me well enough to know I'm not beyond getting up in the middle of the night to make cards.  Fortunately, I had slept all night, and the only cards I had made were in my dreams.  I had come up with some ideas, though.

This first card started out as a vertical card, but quickly turned into a horizontal layout.  I did something different with the gingham ribbon by pleating it, and I also die cut the end with a scallop die to match the scallop layer around the image.  I put a piece of regular ol' Scotch tape on the back of the ribbon before I die cut it so the ends wouldn't fray.


A little better than just tying gingham ribbon on a card.

This next card gave me migraines.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but it just wouldn't happen.  It took me hours and several walk-aways to make this stupid thing!

But I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  A different way to use gingham.

I still had one more idea that I wanted to put to the test.  While searching the galleries at SCS for ideas (is that cheating?), I came across a card made by Kittie that had a beautiful bow on it.  And she just happened to have a link to a tutorial on her blog on tying bows.  Beautiful bows need a wreath to go with them.  That led to this card.

This is much prettier IRL.  You can see the dimension much better, as there is a window on the front of the card and the sentiment is stamped on the inside.  That was really hard to capture in the photo.  My use of gingham on this card is just a bow, but I think the other elements make up for the simplicity of it.


Here is a little tutorial on how I made the wreath.

Punch out several (I used 24) branches with the MS branch punch.  Then make a ring with either 2 circle punches close in size, or with nestabilities, which is what I used here.  This will be the base of your wreath.

Pretend all those branches haven't been glued on yet.  :)


Glue just the last 3/8" of the branch to the ring, overlapping the branches as you go along the ring.

You can space them as close as you want depending on how full you want the wreath to be.  (Adjust the number of punched branches accordingly.)  Continue all the way around, and your last branch should fit right under the first one you glued on.  Set aside to dry.

Punch or die cut a circle on the front of your card where you want the wreath to be.

Very lightly trace the inside of the circle with a pencil on the inside of the card.  This will allow you to see where the sentiment should go.  Use a SAMJ to stamp the sentiment.  I embossed mine for a little extra shine.  Make sure your sentiment is good and dry before you erase the pencil lines.  When you think it's dry, wait another minute or so.  Don't ask me how I know this!

Now you are ready to adhere the wreath to the front of the card.  Apply glue to the back side of the wreath ring and center over the circle on the front of the card.  Attach your pretty bow, and you are done!

Ta-da!  Ain't it purty?

I hope you are inspired by some different ways to use gingham.  Sometimes it's good to think a little outside the box.

K

15 comments:

Ardyth said...

These are all great ways to use gingham - LOVE the pink/orange ribbon and how you scrunched it and also the Christmas wreath! I also giggled about the middle card, just because I often (like REALLY often) have cards that just do NOT want to be made. Walking away is the best thing to do! Thanks for sharing all of these! I'm inspired to go up to my craft room and start creating!

Happy Stamper said...

Thanks for sharing your tutorial. I tried making a wreath similar to this last night but I couldn't get it even because of the way I angled the leaves. I just used a circle die cut and glued the leaves around the outer edge. I'm going to have to try it your way as it looks like it will work much better!

Your card looks great btw!

Jess said...

What a great tutorial and what a fantastic effect!! Thanks for sharing your lovely creations with the world!

Bonnie said...

All of these are great Karen. The wreath is my favorite, no the pleated ribbon, no the flower. Oh, well, they're all my favorites! Great tutorial. Wish I had that punch!

Kittie said...

Karen, I would have never thought to create the circle to form the wreath on. Thanks for the inspiration and little tutorial.

Jessica Wekenman said...

Gorgeous cards! You wouldn't believe while I was strolling through Walmart on my lunch break today, I found that punch for $2.50! I got back to work and was showing my friend, and telling her I thought it would make a great wreath! Then I start looking to see any of your cards I may have missed from the passed couple days, and I see this! I love how you cut the window out of the card for the sentiment to show through! I hope mine turns out as beautiful as yours!

Deb said...

It's fabulous...and since today is Halloween I'll be corny and say it's BOO-tiful! Truly beautiful! Have a fun day!

Sarah said...

What fun cards! And great tips for creating that beautiful wreath.

Lisa Lara said...

Hi K. This is the coolest. Great tutorial gf. I just have to try this.

Heather said...

Gorgeous card, brilliant way to create a wreath, just hope it works with the branches I have!

Michele (mitchygitchygoomy) said...

Karen, I just saw Kittie's wreath that was inspired by yours and had to pop in to tell you how very clever and creative this is. Thanks for sharing the way you've done it and YES is sure is purty!!

Judy W. said...

Thanks for sharing this tutorial with us. Much appreciated. Your card is lovely and such an inspiration to get creating!

Hquinzelle said...

I want to thank you for sharing this tutorial for making the wreath with the branch punch -- I had always wondered how to get it in a perfect circle!!!

Esther Asbury said...

Beautiful cards....especially love the Christmas wreath card. Thanks so much for the simple tutorial --- finally figured out WHAT I was doing wrong in making mine --- gluing the branches under instead of over one another!
I'm linking to your post with this great tutorial tomorrow! Thanks again!

md said...

waouhhhhhhhhhhh super bravo md