Thursday 29 March 2018

Rudolph Days Challenge - March 2018

As I said in Tuesday's post, I almost missed this month's Rudolph Days over at ScrappyMo's - goodness knows how but it totally slipped my tiny little mind.

However, a ton of frantic die cutting resulted in three Christmas cards, all the same - plus a fourth one that ended up being scrapped so that didn't count.

I had dreadful problems taking a photo of this card - tried almost every location in the house and eventually had to settle for an angled photo. Mirri card is an absolute P*I*G to capture on camera, and when I did manage a passable result, the lower lighting meant that the red satin mirri hardly showed up until I tried the 'angled view'. Even then, one side of the silver frame even looks buckled - and it most certainly isn't in real life. The card I ditched did end up with a buckled frame as I'd just used the (probably quite thin) silver mirri card on its own - but the other three really did work fine with the addition of a 300gsm identical frame glued on the back for strength and a slight change in approach:
I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" white card blank, opening on the short side for a change

- piece of white card stock, cut bigger than needed, ready to assemble the poinsettia onto - always best to work that way if you can when using Stick-It adhesive sheet as it does part company with die cuts very easily and it's good to have a background ready to place it on

- silver mirri card, backed with Stick-It adhesive sheet and a lovely pre-loved die that a very sweet friend recently gave me - called Memory Box 'Poinsettia Ribbon'. For assurance I did use waxed paper between the die and the mirri card as my experiences with a Poppy Stamps 'Snowflake Ribbon' die a while ago almost drove me crackers - but this worked like an absolute dream, even with all the lovely little fronds

- adhered the die cut to the piece of white backing card and pressed it really firmly in place

- then die cut five leaves/petals (never quite sure but I think the red parts are the leaves on poinsettias and the centre is normally the yellow flower). Used the same die with a Stick-It backed snippet of deep red satin mirri card and popped those into the gaps in the silver die cut

- next I made the silver frame up as I was unsure quite how the end result would look with a sentiment

- for the frame I used more siver mirri card and a die from the Avery Elle 'Postage Stamp' set of dies

- then I could work out the position of the sentiment using the Misti, Brilliance 'Graphite Black' ink and a stamp from the Inkylicious 'Seasons Greetings x 4' set of stamps

- stamped the sentiment and that was the image panel almost done, just the frame to add and this was a big first mistake. I trimmed one of the card image panels to just marginally bigger than the silver frame and adhered them together using red line tape for a nice firm adhesion. What I hadn't thought of was the fact that the 'ribbon' part of the silver die cut was then underneath the silver frame at each side - and oh boy, did the distortion show!

- still had three cards to go and just walked away for a think as it plainly was going to look dreadful with the frames as they were on the first attempt - a bit like those old fashioned 'hall of mirrors' side stalls at fairs when I was a kid

- next step was to die cut three fresh frames using 300gsm white card and then stuck those to the backs of the silver frames for stability but was still left with the concern that there might be some distortion. Normally that wouldn't even show on most plain card stock - but, as i said, mirri is so unforgiving - sigh

- and then common sense poked it's head over my shoulder and whispered -'take a look at those left over squares of white card you have from die cutting the white frames' - bingo!

- so I die cut each image panel using the postage frame die which resulted in perfectly sized rectangles to sit inside each frame before then layering the image panels onto the waste from the centre of the white die cut frames and gluing them together

- then, it was just a matter of carefully taping the double layered silver frames to the card front(s) before popping the image panels in place

Looking back, I probably could have salvaged the discarded card by using the die to cut the image panel out - but common sense forgot to mention that fact before it was binned!

I hope some of this makes sense - often, recovering from the jaws of disaster is worth writing about - if only to remind myself in future!

And a HUGE thank you to the lovely friend who so kindly gave me the die - I absolutely adore it. Did think about layering some slightly smaller leaves/petals on top of the 'bloom' using a Memory Box die I found in the Christmas dies folder, but opted for 'less is more', and also normal postage of course!






33 comments:

  1. gorgeous die cut so perfect for the bright sparkly frame. I love it with the red inliad in the silver :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a stunning card Di - you have used the die cut so beautifully to make the focal point really stand out
    Blessings
    Maxine

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's easy to be wise with hindsight isn't it? But binned card or not, your card (and its siblings, I am sure) is absolutely stunning!
    Incidentally I call the red parts of a poinsettia "bracts" - not quite a leaf but definitely not a flower.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's the word I was struggling to find Jane!x

      Delete
  4. This is a stunning card, Di. The silver mirri is fabulous and I am loving it with the red satin card for the blossom. I think I may have this die...not positive though. I need to go through my with my NBUS dies and get cardmaking with them!

    Thanks for taking part in the March Rudolph Days Challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  5. A beautiful card I do lime the colours even though the micro card is awful to photograph you have done a great job xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. THis is so elegant with silver card!
    :ia xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. A fabulous card - I have this die on my 'wish list' as all the cards I've seen made with it look really stylish.
    Kath x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The die does most of the work Kath. It really is a beauty, right down to the ribbed effect on the ribbon lengths. x

      Delete
  8. I love the bright red inlay, makes the card really striking and rather beautiful. The postage stamp die works a treat x

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow, your CAS is so elegant and classy! Your photo shown the mirri so well, I never succeed about this! Fab inlay, your poinsettia is just adorable and love the postage stamp die, this is another must have for me LOL :)
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is a truly stunning die and it's made a beautiful card Di. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a run on that die in the shops now you've made this card!

    Happy Easter wishes going your way.

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ooh love the poinsettia die! Very elegant with the silver and red xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is a beautiful and elegant card Di and love the silver and red mirri together with the white, and the ribbon poinsettia die was a great gift and you have shown it off wonderfully with the postage stamp frame...gorgeous! x

    ReplyDelete
  13. Di I love popping by to see your Christmas cards always and oh my the poinsettia on this card is stunning the red just pops so beautifully
    Thank you so much for joining us at the Rudolph Days Challenge!
    Rudolph Days Challenge DT
    Dr Sonia

    ReplyDelete
  14. Di, this is a stunning card. The combination of silver mirri and red poinsettia is just lovely and the red really pops with the silver.

    ReplyDelete
  15. A really, really beautiful card, Di. Thanks for sharing it and the "how-to".

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh, my, so many contortions went into this beautiful card, Di, but hon, it was worth it! This is one of those cards you pull from the envelope and GASP! Your photo captured it brilliantly!! Hugs, Darnell

    ReplyDelete
  17. A beautifully stylish card Di, love the fabulous die.
    Jean x

    ReplyDelete
  18. So beautiful, even if I can't bring myself to consider doin' anything that far ahead yet! Grin.
    Hugs,
    Em xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is simply fab Di! Worth all the effort! x

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oooh Di this is stunning and that's a beautiful die used .....the silver is so effective totally gorgeous xx

    ReplyDelete
  21. How lovely! A very pretty die, especially in silver with the red inlay. Great card!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your card is absolutely beautiful Di. What lovely dies you've used too. Barbxx

    ReplyDelete
  23. Absolutely stunning hun, Luv Sam x

    ReplyDelete
  24. The silver mirri with the touch of red looks stunning, a really super card, worth all the effort. I have to smile though because non-carmakers look at a card and they have absolutely no idea how many problems, one way or another can go into making a card, even taking the flipping photo. I think considering the mirri card this is a really good photo.
    Happy Easter you the three of you.

    Kath x

    ReplyDelete
  25. I absolutely love this card Di. The white and silver are a perfect combination and I love the fash of red from the Pointsettia. Fabulous layout too x

    ReplyDelete
  26. Beautifully elegant card Di, what a lovely die, well done for persevering, it really was worth it. If only hindsight came before and not after :) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  27. That is so elegant and beautiful, Di! I love it! It is a gorgeous die

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Di,
    Happy Rudolf Days.
    Oh I love this wonderful card and the design is so elegant and gorgeous.
    That poinseetia is amazing and so beautiful.
    Yes you are right about mirri card I too find that sometimes it looks buckled on one side when photgraphing.
    I put a card on my blog with it and you can see my hands and the cmera in it didn't notice till I had it on my blog.
    Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow, what an amazing card.... that die looks stunning in silver and red mirricard and the postage stamp die frames it perfectly xx

    ReplyDelete
  30. This is just beautiful. It also reminded me to check the winner and it was me!!!!
    L x

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much if you take the time to comment!

This is a public blog. Those leaving a comment on any post on this blog or entering a piece of artwork into a linky do so in the knowledge that their name and blog link are visible to all who visit this blog and in so doing have published their own personal details and consented to my use of that personal information should they be selected as a winner or to accredit work.