Build-a-Card: Day Two

I didn’t know what I was stepping into when I presented my first Build-a-Card post yesterday.  While some of you thought it was fun, others felt anxiety about not seeing the finished product right away.  In turn, that created a feeling of anxiety in me about whether or not my finished product (which was already done) would thrill you or disappoint you.  If you didn’t see yesterday’s post, please check it out here before moving on – it’s for your own good.  I can’t delay the inevitable any longer, so here goes nothing:

STEP SEVEN:  On the Whisper White layer in the center of the card, I glued down two Lucky Limeade punches from the Ticket Duo Builder Punch.  This layer repeats the green found in the outside layer of the card and the outside of this layer.  The punches don’t meet exactly in the middle of the card, but that’s OK because I’m going to cover that space with something else – I’ll show you that tomorrow.  Just kidding.  This ends today.  🙂20130428-201427.jpg

STEP EIGHT:  I added a tiny strip of Daffodil Delight card stock.  The width of the piece is 1/8″ (the length from the blade to the first notch on the trimmer), but the length matches the Whisper White card stock base of 3-1/8″.20130428-201434.jpg

Before we go into the details of this next step, I want to take a step back and explain my next design decisions.  So far, this card is BUSY.  Lots going on with colors and shapes and the orientation of the images.  I originally wanted to include some adorable images from Spring Sampler, but they only added to the busy-ness.  That’s my defense.  You may continue. 

STEP NINE:  I felt the need for more blue, so I included a Marina Mist 1-1/4″ Scallop  punch.  Since the square layer behind this is the same color, it draws your eye toward the center of the card.  That’s what I wanted – I want the complex background to be seen, but I want the simple center piece to be the centerpiece.20130428-201444.jpg

STEP TEN:  I added a Daffodil Delight 1-3/8″ Circle punch.  The yellow pulls color from the banner underneath and the strips of yellow in the Designer Series Paper.  It’s going to be partially covered up in a second, but I guess you already knew that, huh?20130428-201451.jpg

STEP ELEVEN:  Now, I’m partially covering up the Daffodil Delight circle with a 1-1/4″ Melon Mambo circle.  I told you that would happen.  More pink, but it will soon be covered, too.20130428-201459.jpg

Before you move to the next picture, please know that this is it.  Done.  No more anticipating.  No more waiting.  You are almost finished with this two-day blog post.  Once you see this picture, you’ll be able to get on with your day and leave the anticipation behind you.  You won’t be counting down the hours or minutes or seconds until the moment you will finally be able to see what the finished card looks like.  You won’t have to take any medication to fight off the anxiety about whether you will like it or hate it.  There’s no more worrying after you’ve seen it because what’s done is done.  Once you’ve seen it, you can’t go back, though.  It’s like moving away from home for the first time as a teenager – you can go back to your parent’s house from time-to-time, but you can never really go back to the innocence of youth – before you had to be responsible to pay bills and fend for yourself.  Once you make that step, that part of your life is lost.  FOREVER.  I guess what I’m trying to say is that you should enjoy the journey up the side of the mountain as much as you enjoy reaching the top.  It’s the journey that counts the most.  That’s where we really experience life and find joy and happiness with ourselves.  I could have just shown you the card yesterday and said, “Here’s a card.” and you would have said, “Gee, thanks” (or something like that).  But no.  I wanted you to yearn for the finished product.  I wanted you to imagine what would appropriately fill the space in the middle of this card.  How would I use punches and colors to fill in the rest of the image?  But no longer.  I’m not going to make you wait any more.  That would just be rude, and I’m not rude.  Here’s goes nothing…

STEP TWELVE:  Using a stamp from Teeny Tiny Wishes, I stamped “thank you” in Marina Mist (bringing in my third element in that color) on Whisper White and punched it with a 1″ Circle punch.  Glue it down, and you are done!Teeny Tiny Wishes, Ticket Duo Builder, Sunshine & Sprinkles Designer Series Paper, Stampin' Up!, stampwithbrian.com

Stamp sets:  Teeny Tiny Wishes  Paper:  Lucky Limeade, Melon Mambo, Marina Mist, Whisper White, Sunshine & Sprinkles Designer Series Paper, Daffodil Delight  Ink:  Marina Mist  Accessories:  Ticket Duo Builder, 1-1/4″ Scallop punch,  1-3/8″ Circle punch, 1-1/4″ Circle punch, 1″ Circle punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I hope you like the finished product.  As I described above, I couldn’t really place a complicated design in the middle of these luscious layers of card stock shapes.  I hope to never put you through anticipation like this again.  BUT wait until you see tomorrow’s card.  It’s a beauty!  🙂

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Brian

47 Comments

  1. Beautiful, Brian, but I’m having to go back to bed for a rest now. All that reading at step 11 has worn me out!

  2. Enjoyed the last 2 days’ fun posts almost as much as the card at the end!

  3. I’ve enjoyed it too 🙂 I’ve been looking forward to my tea break all morning (and not just because of the left over slive of pizza from last night that is awaiting me…) but to see the finished card! I don’t think you could have fit that all in on one post. No, seeing it in stages helps allow time to appreciate all the stages. Lovely card X

  4. you are such a giggle. I am so sorry you felt anxiety, this is as beautiful as all your work. I saw you for the first time way back months ago on Mary’s blog, and you never cease to amaze and thrill me with your talent!!! I liked the anticipation!

  5. Great card….my friends would have me committed if they every remotely saw a multiple layered card like that from me!! 🙂

  6. WOW, very nice ending to this step by step tutorial. Love the colors and the great placing of all of those layers. Vicki is right, seeing this in stages helps you appreciate all the work that you put into each one of them, thanks for the anticipation, it was fun.

  7. I almost always read your blog posts early in the morning on my phone after brewing a cup of coffee and curling up on the futon in the family room in the dark. (Hubby is still asleep.). Today was no exception but for the way I scrolled down one line at a time as I read your entry … I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss a word before seeing the finished card. And there were a LOT OF WORDS!
    Just kidding – I enjoyed the “final journey” to the reveal. You sure had me at the ticket punch layer! Where is he going with this, I thought! Great finish! You are right … With all the layers/colors, the focal point had to be simple! Applause, applause, Brian! What a fun two days … You certainly kept me wondering … a card-making cliffhanger! 🙂
    BTW, how much DOES the card weigh?
    How often do YOU send square cards? I DO love them, but over the years, the postage has gotten so high on bulky handmade cards, let alone square ones. Do you use a square envelope? or a larger rectangle one? I’m off to check the catalog to see if SU! has any emvies to accommodate this size card. Thanks, Brian, again, for such a fun two days!

  8. FUN FUN FUN !! I liked the play by play application of each layer and why you did it . What`s so interesting to me is that out of all of this I have discovered a new color combo …Daffodill (sp) Delight and Melon Mambo ! I don`t believe I have seen those two put together before …. I will be trying that one …..and I vote you do another one of these Build A Card segments … What an adventure !!!

  9. Day two was soooo worth waiting for! I really enjoyed seeing it all come together. After all the straight lines, I was so happy to see the scallop circle. LOVE this card!

  10. I like it a lot. Because I am too lazy to go back to yesterday and verify, it almost looks like the white diamond sheet is under the DSP. Like you cut a diamond window in the DSP and the white and marina mist are poking out to say, “Hello world. Thanks for not hiding me behind this DSP!”

    • You are right, Allie! The DSP is cut in little triangles and glued to a piece of Whisper White. AND those are the exact words shouted by the Whisper White paper as I finished this card. 🙂

  11. Whew, that was an exciting journey! Love how you build the anticipation, my friend!

  12. EVeryone needs something to look forward to every now and again. I loved the two day post. Great card!

  13. Bravo ! As I sit here oogling (is there such a word) at this card, to me the whisper white and marina mist layers give you the illusion of being inlayed into the DSP. Mind and eyes playing tricks. Yet again, another great punch trick/tip using the Ticket Duo Builder giving it the banner effect. Looking forward, as always, to tomorrows beauty. Simply said like your card today…….Thank You!

  14. Presto, it’s done! Love it!

  15. Phew! That was a journey! But it was a wonderful journey and destination! Love the card!

  16. Fabulous card! Fun presentation — just like food, it’s all in the presentation, right? Although, I confess, I skipped the big paragraph, gasped at the gorgeousness of the card, then went back and read your suspense building words. What a brat I am — just couldn’t stand it!! You made this a great couple of days — rockin’ the blog world!

  17. this card is awesome and so worth the wait. so well done thank you

  18. I LOVE the way you use color! And just think-all you have to do is lift this card a few times, and you’ve done your workout for today! ; )

  19. You crack me up!!

  20. Reaching the top of the mountain was worthy of the trip up. The anticipation of unopened packages, what’s around the bend and what’s the end of the story is what makes life interesting. Your card does not disappoint.

  21. This is one of the happiest “feel good” cards I have ever seen. I love the fact that this card made me smile – what a great way to start the day. Thanks Brian!

  22. I love you all! I am so happy that the end result is so well-received. I now know that if I ever do this again (dare I do this again?), I need to make sure the last part of the project is either a BIG WOW or really ties the rest of it together. You all make ME smile.

  23. Oh, Brian, we have absolute faith in you that you won’t disappoint. You needn’t have worried! I love all the colors AND all the layers and I so enjoyed seeing your creative process. What a WONDERFUL, happy card!

  24. Fun post and good idea to show this card step by step….otherwise I would not have noticed all the intricate detail. When you see the finished product, it is amazingly un-busy!

  25. OMG, What a Genius. I thoroughly enjoyed your “Build A Card”. Loved it. Thanks.

  26. Great card, great finished product….love it!

  27. Sharon Broussard

    I love this card but the anticipation was killing me!!! So glad part 2 was waiting for me this morning or I would have been tracking you down!!! Love all the layers and the bright colors!!!

  28. Cynthia said it, no longer Build-a-Brad but Build a Card with Brian! Love the step by step detail, and all to say, “thank you”. Who is receiving this masterpiece???? Love the anticipation thanks, Brian.

  29. Enjoyed the journey, Brian….loved the finish too!

  30. Brian, YOU ROCK!!!

  31. Carol Carriveau

    Such fun, Brian! Please do another one, but not too soon…think we all need a breather after this….lol…honestly your completed card is wonderful…and I too would like to know…how many stamps to mail this beauty….if you dare! Thanks again, Brian!

  32. Umm, How about turning this into a series and say do one every month 🙂 This is just awesome.

  33. What a great “lift” to my day! Love the card and I loved the process! Thanks for the journey, and your description as to how your process evolved!

  34. The card is great but the journey was most of the fun. Your blogs always make me smile – the obvious humour, the sly remarks or just the fantastic projects you come up. See ya tomorrow.
    T

  35. Great card & a great post, Brian! Well done!

  36. I would definitely like another card making session like this one. I couldn’t wait for today’s post and was not disappointed. Thanks for sharing.

  37. Love this card!

  38. I feel I should say………….
    “Hello, my name is Colleen and I’m a___________aholic”! Twelve steps…man oh man! lololol And you WOULD have to use THAT green, wouldn’t you! lololol (I want to state here that I mean no disrespect to any “….aholics” out there!!! It just touched my funny bone when the anticipation stopped at 12 steps! Good job Brian!

  39. I’m left wondering if it really did cost $3.95 to mail or more? My sister sent me a bday card that she put $12.95 worth of postage on (because she could). That made me laugh and I’ve been trying to think of someway to repay her. I think your layers come close. I love your sense of humor and am so glad I stumbled upon your blog. Are you going to convention? If so, I really hope to meet you and exchange cards with you.

  40. It was worth the wait!

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