Nicole Watt, one of the designers on The Pals Paper Arts team with me, conceives the sketches for my team’s challenges. For this week’s challenge, she created a super-unique sketch (I’ve never seen anything quite like it) that’s really quite a challenge – that’s what these challenges are all about, right? My card exactly follows the sketch – even with all its layers, the finished product is clean and balanced. Here’s my card:
And here’s Nicole’s sketch for this challenge:
Tips, Tricks and Reminders:
- Balance. With the askew center piece, it’s important to balance the rest of the items on the card front. Without careful planning, it would be really easy to end up with a lop-sided project. Who wants that? I created a super-heavy element on the card by stacking circles to support the sentiment. Yesterday, I used Real Red candy dots to add weight to one side of the card for balance – today’s card uses Blushing Bride candy dots to lighten up the base of the askew panel to balance the card front.
- Color Inspiration. I’ve mentioned before that I love Park Lane Designer Series Paper, right? One of my favorite pieces in this pack is this Soft Suede piece. I pulled the brown from this paper, added a softer brown (Crumb Cake) and a brown-based pink (Blushing Bride) to complete this card. Here’s my color inspiration:
- Texture. All good cards need color, balance, texture and dimension (or some variation of these elements). The texture in this card is found in the large pieces of Crumb Cake – it’s one of the only colors in the Stampin’ Up! color families that has a lot of filament in the paper. See how the Crumb Cake isn’t perfectly smooth? It’s still smooth to the touch, but it looks rough and filled with texture.
Stamp Sets: Choose Happiness Papers: Soft Suede, Blushing Bride, Crumb Cake, Park Lane Designer Series Paper Accessories: Stampin’ Emboss Powder (Blushing Bride), Subtles Candy Dots (Blushing Bride), 2-1/2″ Circle punch, Circles Collection Framelits, 1-3/4″ Circle punch
I hope you’ll pop over to The Pals Paper Arts blog to check out the other design team members’ cards – and to participate in this challenge. Woo hoo!
Thanks for stopping by today!
Brian
LOVE the color combination! Once again, you are the King! Great card!!!!
Great card and tips. The one thing I noticed immediately was that the sentiment is straight on the angled panel. That is eye catching!
Doh! That was going to be one of my bullet points, Kelly – straightening the sentiment on a caddywampus layout – but I totally forgot when I sat down to write the post. Thanks for calling that out!
This is a sketch that calls for thought ! You did it to the max ! I noticed that you used the pink in an uneven number ! Ha! see I am learning ….it is just the right amount to complement the browns . I like this color mix and I am thinking I would like to make a card using it . Great lesson today ,Teacher !
Looks fantastic. 🙂
The layout of this design sort of goes against by OCD background, but you made it look so nice with your clean and simple layers. Also I just love your color combination.
Beautiful card, I love neutrals. The Blushing Bride adds a pop to it. You have a great eye for balance. Great job Brian.
THAT is a lot of layers! Love the card!
Again a very nice card which teach us a lot . I think I will have to make a thank you something one day for you – I have your adress haha… Love it , Anita
Oh Brian – again you make the impossible possible. When I saw the sketch I said to myself “what the hay?”! Then when I saw what you did with that sketch I said “OOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH”! What else can I say – I think I would have looked at that sketch and skipped the challenge but you hung right in there. Just amazing to me.
You always know just what borders to add! : )
I love the combo of pink and brown! Great card–interesting sketch–love it!
I do so enjoy your comments. They make me realize your cards are not so “plain & simple”. They are well-developed, carefully planned “works of art”! Thank you so much for sharing them & for inspiring us to achieve!
Oooooooo, the Blushing Bride embossing powder at work! Love it! And a gorgeous color combo, too
Another of my fav color combos – pink and brown! Even with the pink, it could pass for a masculine card!
How right you are (all the time) about Crumb Cake. I absolutely love using it. You pulled everything together so well with your choices. Such a lovely card. Your circles remind me of a button, saying ‘push me’, when you do it shouts out ‘Happy Happy Happy”
Not only a great card, but great tips too. Thanks especially for the one about how to use the sentiment. It really does bring your eye right to it. I’ll remember that one!
Great job Brian. Perfect colors, perfect balance. TFS!
Love the pink and brown, Brian. And it looks like there’s another stamp set I “need” to get!
My kind of used! CAS and lovely colors.
Brian, this card really catches my eye and makes me want to pull out these 3 favorite colors and go to work. Now I’m wondering how that center might look with the starburst die??? 😉