Brace yourself because today’s post is my most controversial post of all time. While I think many of you will like my super-simple card, others will hate it with all the energy they can muster. Either way, I want you to be honest with me about what you think (only if you love it). 🙂
About a month ago, I shared a card I made with Pomp & Circumstance, the graduation stamp set in the Occasions Catalog. 
Since the stamp set features a rather graphic sketch of a brain, it’s easy to dismiss the set entirely, so I suggested that another look at the stamp set might be in order. Some great sentiments in cool fonts, a graduation cap and a diploma – all could be very useful. The brain, I contended, was not to be used.
You know I like a challenge, right? I was determined to come up with a cute way to use that brain! Day in and day out, the image was on my mind (I guess you could say the brain was on my brain). Today, I have made a project that I think is equal parts soft and sweet. Here’s my Simple Saturday card:
Tips, Tricks and Reminders
- So, why the controversy? Good question. When I was done with this card, I was so proud for using the brain in such an adorable way. I showed two of my friends who are always so good about giving me positive feedback. One said, “creepy cute.” The other said, “kinda’ zombie-ish.” What do you think? Don’t you agree that “I love your brain” is a super-sweet sentiment? I chose two of the sweetest colors (Crisp Cantaloupe and So Saffron) to make sure this sentiment was sticky sweet.
- Thin, Thin Layers. This is a simple card, but there are several layers of cardstock beneath the sentiment. I knew I wanted tiny layers of color but was really happy when I layered in the white layer between the Crisp Cantaloupe and So Saffron. That pulled the whole thing together, in my humble opinion.
- White Embossing. I embossed the brain and the heart with White Stampin’ Emboss Powder. The white powder makes such a crisp and clean image that shines against the white layers of this card. There’s more shine on the base of the card – I used Whisper White Core’dinations card stock with a sheen and a rough texture.
So, what do you think? Please leave your comments below to let me know if you love this card or if you hate this card. HATE or GREAT?!? Those are your options. I look forward to hearing what you have to say.
Stamp Sets: Pomp and Circumstance, Hearts a Flutter, Countless Sayings I (Photopolymer) Inks: Crisp Cantaloupe Papers: Neutrals Core’dinations Cardstock (Whisper White), Crisp Cantaloupe, So Saffron, Whisper White Accessories: White Stampin’ Emboss Powder, Hearts a Flutter Framelits, Stampin’ Dimensionals
Thanks for stopping by my blog today!
Brian
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I love, love, love it! Such a great sentiment!
Funny, creepy, cute…they all sum up a rather oddly sweet card. I’d totally give this to my clever physicist husband! He has a brain full of interesting and useless facts and figures…but it keeps us all entertained! Perfect! TFS.x
I actually say this to my significant other all the time. I love it!!!!!
One of my daughter’s teachers taught her how to reflect on a job well done after thinking about a new concept and putting ideas together. Mrs. G would say “Kiss your brain!!!” and all the Kindergartners would kiss their hands & then stick that kiss somewhere on their heads!!! It was so cute to see them all doing this together last year!!! She would get a kick out of this card!! Very clever use of this graphic image Brian!!!
I think it is cute! You found an adorable way to use this unique and slightly ‘weird’ stamp. Reminds me of what teachers tell their students: Kiss your brain, Brian!
Cleverly twisted – an obvious result of your unique creativity. I never heard of the phrase from some of the comments above …”kiss your brain” – but I love it! I see another card creation from THAT phrase!!!
I’ve never heard “kiss your brain” either, but it’s really cute. 🙂
Dr. Jean has several CD’s for kids with a Kiss Your Brain song. My Pre-K students love it and look so cute acting it out. 🙂
I think you did a GREAT job with this brain stamp. Brian the Brain!!!!
Well Brian, with The Walking Dead coming back on this Sunday, you are “dead” on with the brain card! lol But, all kidding aside, very witty of you!
I think the sentiment is great though the brain is creepy. Note I also purchased this stamp set for all its other wonderful elements. Great use of your brain!
Brian, I love your “brain” card. I have a son who is really into zombies. He’s sure to love it. Thanks.
Love it, my kind of humor.
Being a retired librarian, I used “Kiss your brain” many times. Your card is cute (for the right person) but what about Halloween? Couldn’t it be used in a Halloween card?
I don’t know, who loves peoples brains? I guess you have to think of it as… I love the way you “think” . Still, there are very useful stamps in the set that will appeal to many people!
Ewww … I love the colors! I love the embossing! I love the white core’dination card stock! I love the layering! I love the arrangement of your focal images! I love your creativity! But, ewww … it is still an “organ” … so I go with “creepy cute”!
Suzie took the words right out of my mouth. I gotta’ agree. The color combo is fabulous, the saying is wonderful, the brain – well, to tell you the truth, that’s a stamp I’d probably throw away. Sorry.
Agreed!
Great color combo and creative use of the brain!
this has to be your worst card ever. I find it distasteful .. I have only seen one other card that bad and it was…”i love your guts”
Distasteful? I find it delicious…lol.
Distasteful? Really? I don’t care for the brain stamp much, but I think this is a clever way to use it. I agree with the creepy cute comments. Really love the colors together Brian. I think it is another great card ;o)
It’s creative not distasteful to me. I like it. It’s nerdy cute and clever.
Good laughs this morning in response to this card!
I love the colors and those teeny layers. I love that those involved in the zombie apocalypse now can
have a card. I love the versatile brain….valentine, Halloween and graduation appropriate. (And zombie apocalypse. We all need cards for that! )
3 loves. I will stop now. Lol.
This set must have been designed just for you! You
Seem to bring out the best of all sets no matter
Their content! Great job Brian!
Fun card,Brain …I mean Brian ! This is not a card you would use often but, it could be used in a fun way . Love the layers and embossing ! And it is a “no brainer” that you put your “mind” into this ! Happy Saturday !!
Clever use of vocabulary Sonny. You got me laughing!
Good humor Sonny!
Gotta admit, I’m not feelin’ the brain. But I give you kudos for having the GUTS (Is there a stamp for guts?) to try it! LOL
my son is all about intellect over emotion–he claims he has no feelings–so this would be a perfect card for him. i’d change the color scheme, but other than that it’s great!
I totally agree with Suzie, CREEPY CUTE is the perfect definition for this card. The other stamps on this set are great and I totally love what you did with this kind of yucky image but IT needs a BRAIN like BRIAN’S to make it work!!!!!
I remember my friend Sonny said that this brain could make some really creepy Halloween invites or cards. Hmmm..I see the possibilities…..but…..oh, never mind.
GREAT … love how you think outside the box! Keep using your “brain” to inspire us all.
I can’t imagine a better way to use that brain stamp! So clever.
I love love love this! Love YOUR brain for coming up with it! I wanted this set before, nowsit’s on my must have list!
Great! I have to say, this card made me laugh out loud! Thanks for brightening up a dreary Delaware day.
What a great way to start a day!!! I have laughed so hard at all the comments — Brian, you are too clever — I love your card!! ( but only YOU could get away with it!!!) Keep ‘um coming!!!!
LOVE it!!!
Oh Brian, interesting and perfect card for those thinkers out there. Many great comments on your card. Why do we hate that brain so, without ours we would be bowls of mush……now is that a card or what, LOL.
My hubby’s into zombies too, so he’d love this card. Cute use of the stamp!
The only way I would see it as oddis if you had used gray for the brain, and you didn’t, so “Kiss YOUR brain, brian!”
Love it. why is a heart great, and a brain not? the brain is more important.
I love it. My twin grand daughters graduate high school this year and would get a kick out of it (As long as I put something inside saying I live the rest of them too!)
I was taken aback when I first saw the brain stamp, but you used it perfectly! Thanks again for letting us see things through your eyes — I’m sure you could find a stamp with eyes or resort to the googly eyes. I heart your brain! Nancy B
Very clever! I personally think this brain stamp is for halloween, not quite sure why it it with this stamp set. But once again you shine!
My 6 year old daughter is encouraging me to say “Hate” but my almost 8 year old says’ “Great”!! My dad, who was a surgeon, would have LOVED it!!! Great image to include for a doctor- way to go Brian, always thinking outside the box.
I hate how much I LOVE it!! I’d rather love someone for their brain then anything else. AWESOME sauce as always, Brian.
LOVE IT, Brian!
I love it. I have to admit I never would have thought to use the brain stamp in this way. You are so creative. Great color combination as well.
LOL…while I don’t think it’s “cute” per se, it would be perfect for a teenage boy (with different colors, maybe), a goth, or someone really into the zombie stuff. It could also be pretty cool made during Halloween. Great job in coming up with something that the rest of us won’t/wouldn’t use or know how to use. As always, you rock it!
As the mom of three grown daughters, I can tell you that your card is spot on. I love it! My daughter is almost done with a PhD in Biomedical Science and she would adore that card! But my girls would always rather be loved for their brains any day! I don’t find the stamp offensive at all. Um, it’s a stamp image? It’s not like it’s real! Great sentiment and great job! And congrats on Hawaii!!
It’s awesome Brian! I love the CAS layout, the colors are precious, the message is adorable…you rocked it ! It would be a great card for a student who aced a test or project in school. I don’t find it creepy at all.
My, you have you really put yourself out there today. Quite the range of comments. I don’t love it but I don’t hate it and I don’t find it distasteful. Just very outside your norm. I will close with this……Brian……I LOVE YOUR BRAIN! Without it I would be lost.
Brian, what a great post! I don’t think your brain is offensive at all… I think it’s beautifully embossed! …. and remember, my friend, the brain and the heart are very much connected.
I have so many brainy friends who love to read or engage in deep conversation who would love this, especially my Mom. This is so clever, I LOVE it!!!!
So perfect for my 11 year old granddaughter who is a brainiac!! Can’t wait to copy and send to her!!
You know what? I think this card is GREAT! Perfect–and it made me tear up a bit because it would have been perfect for my hubby, who liked to say (in a very funny-creepy voice–“I like the way you think”). I’m personally a flowery-pretty-frilly kinda cardmaker and I NEED to see stuff like this to stretch me beyond my normal card-thinking. I love the fact that SU has unusual stamps like this to work with–and you really nailed it. Oh, wait–NOT good to nail a brain is it?? 🙂
Seriously great card–the layout is one I’m about to go use right now–the colors and layers are perfect! Excellent as always, my brilliant friend!
Well, I so enjoyed reading all the comments! I, personally LOVE this card! Being a nurse this card does not gross me out one bit! And, I think a woman/women would appreciate being complimented on their brain more often than their body…hehehe! So, there ya go, Brian, that’s my two cents worth!:-)
And, thanks so much, Brian, for the sweet surprise in the mail! You are the best!:-)
This card sends the message to me: “I love the way you think” and would be a compliment to anyone. I could CASE this and give to my husband today. I love the soft color palette, too! Very creative. (btw, I think it sort of resembles a walnut.” LOL!