A New Year

Hey ho cheerio. Welcome to 2012. I have never really made resolutions, probably because I know myself well enough to know that I can't keep a resolution. Instead, this year, I decided to challenge myself. A resolution is something that you can attempt and fail, but a challenge is just that; something you make an effort to do and keep up with. 

Here are a few of my 2012 challenges:

1. Make at least 1 new card each week

2. Blog about at least 1 new card each week

3. Participate in as many challenges as I can, even if they are not "my style."

There are more, but some things need to be kept a secret around here. ;-)

On to the card. Sadly, I have occasion for a sympathy card this week, as tomorrow I will be attending my Great Uncle's memorial service. I knew Great Uncle Don my whole life, and he was always a cheerful, delightful man with stark white hair and a good "old person" with whom to have a conversation. Some older family members you avoid having talks with; not Great Uncle Don. 

So for Great Aunt Penny, I made this card. I chose a somewhat monochromatic color scheme to keep the somber mood, while the roses and little hints of glitter seemed fitting for a lady.

And as I am loving my new Rosie Posie set, this card just came together so naturally.

Much busier than my typical cards, but I wanted this to jump off the page and have a similar effect as handing over a bouquet or roses. 

I punched a strip with my Martha Stewart edger on both sides of Smokey shadow card stock, then laid a piece of ribbon down the center of that to ground it a little and take away some of the intricacy. I didn't want to make Great Aunt Penny cry any more from all the detail on the card. Die cut the large and small roses of Rosie Posie onto Enchanted Evening, Blueberry Sky, Spring Rain and Aqua Mist card stock. The leaves I cut from Ocean Tides. I stamped the images with their closely-coordinating inks from Stampin Up (yes, I know, I'm mixing companies, but the matches are close enough for my eye). Used a few bump dots to pop out some of the roses, then added a sentiment from Botanical Silhouettes (PTI). Add some Martha Stewart glitter, and voila. The base is white, matted with Smokey Shadow, and the images are adhered to Soft Stone.

Cheers!