Hi Everyone. Happy Friday night and welcome to Jaydee's SU stampin' spot. I've been busy using My Digital Studio to create a customized banner for Halloween featuring Bilbo Baggins. Unfortunately, I'm having some issues with my photoediting software - Apple's Aperture and the fact that it insists on retaining proportions and haven't quite got it right yet. I knew I should have bought Photoshop instead!!! I love My Digital Studio... but Aperture... mmmm... not so sure!
I'd also like to say a massive thank you to the stamping411 team for choosing my Dasher shaker card this week. I am floored - and so honored. There are some absolutely amazing submissions this week and I strongly recommend you mosey on over for some incredible inspiration. And if you thought you couldn't do something with punches.... check out Carrie's Bah Humbug card - it's an absolute masterpiece - it makes me smile every time I view it! The team at stamping411 give us such great inspiration cards and sketches each week, and the submissions are amazing. So, a huge thank you to the team, if you aren't following them and even submitting cards - you should be :-)
Tonight's card was made for the MojoMonday 110 challenge. I know... I know... it's Friday and I'm only just getting the card out there!!!! :-) It was another square card - and you all know, I just don't do square :-) so this week has been forcing me to get out of my comfort zone - and I've loved it! I ordered the Very Thankful set and... err... wasn't reading too well the night I put in the order! When my UPS man brought me my goodies and I opened my box... well, I realized I'd ordered the Reconnaissance set instead. It's the same set - just in French! You know what... I'm so pleased I did, because I've really enjoyed using the set. Now, I have to order the English version - and I'm absolutely OK with that, as a portion of the sale goes to support the Ronald McDonald charity. So... I couldn't get the pic in large format for you... I hate computers :-) please zoom on the pic!
I used Taken with Teal card stock and the Flock Together designer series paper. I love this paper as it has mixes of Tempting Turquoise (used here), So Saffron, Certainly Celery and Garden Green. I thought that the chevron pattern on the background paper and the birds on the side panel - were just perfect for the Peacock. Talking about Peacocks... I was very lucky about 10 years ago to be in a game reserve in India. We went boating very, very early in the morning and the mist was rising from the dam - it was exceptionally eerie as the sun was trying to break through the early morning dawn. It was incredibly quiet - a true moment of reflection - when the dawn was broken by the haunting call of the peacock - no doubt looking for a hen. It was amazing. I'd never heard one in the wild before - and it's a moment I will never forget! So, of course, I thought about that morning when I made this card :-)
I wanted to break up the blues a little and decided to use Crushed Curry. I often use this color as an accent and I think that it really helps to make the blues pop here - as well as the pattern on either side of the peacock. It's such a rich and luscious yellow.
Of course, I had to use my trusty Circle Scissor Plus..... Now... I have to admit that I hated my CSP when I first started using it... I just thought it was too much hassle to get out the cutting matt, the cutter, put in the blade, etc. just to cut a circle. HOWEVER..... after many weeks of trying to make circles from other templates and punches and getting exceptionally frustrated... I realized that I had the perfect tool in my drawer and have grown to love my CSP. I have nothing else that could have allowed me to create perfectly sized circle matts for the peacock. Which goes to show that you have to persist.
Here's a close-up of the layers. I used my Scallop Circle Bigz Die and my Big shot for the outer circle.
I stamped the image on Whisper White
My first circle matt was in Tempting Turquoise
Second matt is in Crushed Curry
Third matt is in Taken with Teal
Scallop is cut in Tempting Turquoise
I inked the peacock using my trusty markers.
The sentiment My Dear Friend sentiment rub on is from a retired rub ons set.
For the square matt behind the circles, I ran a piece of Taken with Teal through my Big Shot and, using the Texturz background plate #1, created a subtle swirl pattern. I then took my sanding block and gently rubbed over the image to make it lighter. Here's a close up for you. I takes a little of the color off the paper and roughs up the image a little. I really love the subtle effect it gives.
I then took my paper piercer and template and went around the square.
Overall, I was really pleased with the way it turned out - and the memories it evoked for me!
I'm sorry about my technical difficulties tonight... Not just with my blog header... .which I love btw :-) I'm not sure how Bilbo Baggins would feel about it..... especially as he despises spiders... he does the rounds of the basement every night to ensure that nothing on more than 4 legs is bothering us... and he is especially diligent about spiders.... so having a spider hanging from his hat... well.... mmmm... :-) Sorry, Bilbo - but you do look so cute!
Typepad wouldn't upload large pictures tonight, so I made sure that they were all zoomable for you. Grrrrr!
Have a fabulous Saturday and thank you for stopping by and visiting my little area of the stamping blogosphere. Your visits - and your support are always much appreciated... I'm hoping that tonight Feedburner should be fixed, too. Mind you... with the technical difficulties tonight, I guess I shouldn't be hoping for too much. The Halloween gremlins must be out!
Watch out tomorrow for a Halloween card made with My Digital Studio.
Blessings
Jaydee
Beautiful card Jaydee. Wonderful story too. I can picture your India inspiration perfectly. On the other hand my Brother in law had a little cottage under trees where peacocks nested and the sound was at times deafening. One can be eerie and haunting and special 20+ is just insane. I might add he only lasted 3 months there!
Bilboa looks a tad resigned to the spider and hat. I've yet to have a cat that would wear a hat! So I'm not surprised you had to go virtual. Cute idea for Halloween Header. I'm with you with the Photoshop idea. I'm sure eventually I'll get the hang of MDS but for now it's making me crazy!
Hugs my friend and I'm not surprised at all that your Dasher was picked!
Posted by: Jean Fitch | 31 October 2009 at 04:26 AM