Do Something Awesome Every Day

This week’s Global Design Project theme challenge celebrates “A New Year.” The start of a new year brings new excitement for the adventures that lie ahead. While many people establish “New Years Resolutions” to remove bad behaviors or introduce healthier actions, these resolutions often fizzle after a couple of weeks (and these people go back to their pre-resolutions lives). While I support big expectations that are supported by big efforts, I prefer to take it one day at a time. I believe that small “tweaks” in our daily lives can have as big an impact as big, sweeping change. Doing one awesome thing every day (at least 365 awesome things) will, inevitably, lead to an amazing year. Small things add up to big things. Here’s my card for this New Year challenge:

Home to Roost, En Route, Stampin' Up!, Brian KingAnd here’s the banner for the GDP theme challenge that inspired my card:

GDP171Tips, Tricks and Reminders

  • Rooster. You might still be scratching your head and wondering how a rooster has anything to do with a new year – yet it’s so clear to me. Cock-a-doodle-doo! Every morning the rooster crows to let us know that a new day has begun. A new day, a new start. Isn’t that what’s at the heart of New Year’s Day? I love this rooster that’s featured in Home to Roost, a Sale-a-Bration stamp set that’s available with a $50 purchase. Here’s a look at this set:Home to Roost, Stampin' Up! 149736Keeping with the New Year’s and new day theme, I chose this sentiment from En Route – such an important reminder that small things are big things. Here’s a look at this set:En Route, Stampin' Up!, 156594
  • Coloring the Rooster. I don’t have a pet rooster, so I’m not 100% versed in the colors on a rooster. A quick web search took me to a rooster crowing in the morning – have you ever wondered why the sounds a rooster makes is called a crow?Anyway I pulled my colors from this gorgeous, crowing fowl. I stamped the crow with Memento Tuxedo Black on Thick Whisper White cardstock and colored my rooster with a mix of Stampin’ Blends (Bermuda Bay, Soft Suede, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler and Cajun Craze) that made me feel like a true artist. Here’s a look:Rooster Colors with Stampin' Blends, Stampin' Up!, Brian KingI framed my rooster with the Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies (I told you I’d be using these lots). Each die cuts the stitching lines on the inside and outside of the die. The Bermuda Bay frame is the inside piece of a large die. The Cajun Craze frame is created with the combination of two dies. Here’s a look at these must-have dies:Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies, Stampin' Up!, 148551
  • Colors. The warm colors on the base of this card are inspired by the rich colors in the rooster. I just love the clash of Cajun Craze with Bermuda Bay (I paired Cajun Craze with Coastal Cabana here). If you like this combination of Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze and Bermuda Bay as much as I do, please save this:Stampin' Up! Color Inspiration - Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Bermuda Bay

Stamp Sets: Home to Roost, En Route  Papers: Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Bermuda Bay, Thick Whisper White  Inks: Tuxedo Black Memento, Stampin’ Blends (Bermuda Bay, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler, Color Lifter) Accessories: Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I hope you’ll pop over to the Global Design Project site to see the cards by the design team members and to play along with this week’s challenge.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Brian

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50 Comments

  1. Love this rooster card. He is amazing with all those handsome colors.

    • Thanks so much, Shirley! I wasn’t initially “sold” on the rooster, but I fell in love with him once I put color to the image. Glad you like him, too. ♥

  2. I’m not a rooster fan, but yours looks pretty cool. How nice that the rooster colors corresponded so well with Stampin’ Blends!
    So, why is the rooster sound called a crow?

  3. Wow Brian, I think you captured the perfect colors for the rooster. Our neighbors use to have one and like clock-work he would crow each morning. I think your card is amazing, love how you chose to use the stitched Framelits, the inside stitching is so fun.

    • Thanks so much, Katrina! I’m always awake “before the rooster crows,” so I imagine it would be cool to have a rooster around. So glad you like the card – these Framelits are amazing. Thanks! ♥

  4. I have this stamp coming and I was planning on using it with my card group. I was thinking a note card but not anymore! You made my day and it’s only 6:36 A.M. Cock-a-doodle-do,

  5. What a bright and cheering start to the day! There is a rooster and a few chickens a couple blocks from our house. I don’t know if he crows at Sun up but he sure crows around 10:00 give or take. We hear it a lot when I am walking the dog or rather he is walking me. He seems to be more black and gray looking. Oh well. Love your coloring, so rustic. I saw this set and thought it was sort of an odd choice but it will be fun to see what people do with it. You really did a great job and it is certainly something to crow about!

  6. Brian!! Your rooster is incredible. Good job, sir! 🙂

  7. Thank you for the color ideas . I have been planning to get this aristocratic fella to go with the farm house stamp set . I was stumped on the colors …so your selections are spot on .
    BTW …have you ever seen a rooster that did not look like HE was IN CHARGE ??
    Great card !

    • Oh, Sonny, roosters are always in charge – until, maybe, a hen comes around. 🙂 So glad you like how I’ve colored him – it was really great fun! He’ll look great with the farmhouse. Thanks, my friend! ♥

  8. Were you a Boy Scout Brian? “Do a Good Turn Daily” is our slogan! 🙂 Beautiful card, love the color combo, the mattes and that is one fine rooster all colored up!

  9. Brian, this handsome fellow is striking! Wow! I’ve been on the fence about getting this set too, because although he looks fun to color, I didnt think I would use it much. Paired with the sentiment though, I may have to re-think about getting BOTH sets! What a great card for my Random Act of Kindness crusade. Thanks for the inspiration! ??

    • Thanks so much, Bobbi! I really love this rooster – especially when colored. You should definitely pick him up with your next SAB-qualifying order. ♥ So glad you like the card. Thanks!

  10. the coloring is cock-a-doodle-doo perfection!

  11. When I first looked at today’s card Brian I thought you had cut the rooster out of some DSP that I didn’t recognize. When I read you had colored it I was amazed. Roosters aren’t my favorite since my neighbors rooster crows all day long and he and his chickens poop all over my yard. However, your rooster would be welcome in my house. AND yes, you do something awesome every day by inspiring us. Thank you.

    • Thanks so much, Grace! It’s fun to hear all these rooster stories – I’ve never awakened to a rooster’s crow. So glad you like the card – I am so happy with it.

  12. This is fantastic, Brian! I’ve been dying to ink mine up. Thanks for the inspiration!

    p.s. I have a rooster across the street from me and I chuckle every time I hear him.

    • Lots of people sharing they have roosters. I live in the city – even though we have deer, hawks and foxes, no sign of a rooster. Oh! I do have an owl who visits us to hoot us to sleep. Thanks!

  13. your color coordination and layout is impeccable!

  14. How is it even possible to create something this stunningly beautiful? Really, you’re going to have to retire now with this masterpiece as your lasting legacy! 🙂 Striking color choices and a bold sentiment make this the perfect morning message to wake up to!

    • Thanks so much, my friend! I stamped the rooster on Saturday night and ran downstairs in the wee hours of Sunday morning to color him. I was thrilled with the transformation that took place with the color. I impressed myself – but not enough to retire. 🙂 ♥

  15. What a handsome fella, and your colors for him are just perfect.
    The layers are, as always, perfect!! framing your main image beautifully.
    Now, I agree with you Brian, New Year’s resolutions, for some, fade away in February but I think it’s because the expectations are way to big.
    By far, taking small steps to achieve a goal renders better results in the long run, your suggestion of doing one good thing for yourself or for others every day most definitely will create a better YOU.
    One of my resolutions is to keep my craft room organized, putting supplies away as soon as I’m done using them, following this pledge will most definitely be in my benefit.
    Thank you for sharing.
    XO

    • Thanks so much, Maria! I’m so happy you like the card – these dies are perfect for easy and gorgeous framing. “Cleaning up after yourself” is such an adult thing – not sure I’m there yet. 🙂

  16. Wow, Brian! What an awesome card! The rooster appealed a little to me but I passed it up. Now I think I have to have it!

  17. I agree with everyone that your rooster and his coloring are perfection (And the layering, And your choice of sentiment) but what really struck me today was the introspection behind your post. I know you are the KING, but you Are also a prince among men. Wonderfully expressed thoughts. TFS

  18. The rich colors are something to crow about! Love the stitched frames, and the pop of Bermuda Blue. Out of the ballpark, I say!

  19. I love this card! The colors, the rooster and the sentiment! I agree with you! If we would all just do one awesome thing each day what a difference we can make! Be the GIFT…give it forward today! ?

  20. Great coloring and love the stitched dies framing it!

  21. Love the colors used in this card. The Stamping is easy and the sentiment is perfect. Well done Brian King

  22. I had to let you know how gorgeous this card is! I love the color combination and the rooster stamp is colored I so well. Very nice design work.

    • Thanks so much, my friend! I really loved this card and have made another with similar colors but a different layout. Will be sharing later this week. ♥

  23. I love the card and I really LOVE the diagram of the colors you used! Thanks! *I fell in love with this set because of the colors I have seen people using with it

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