Not A Pretty Sight

I guess it's been about two weeks since my last workshop based on how my table looks. I got out of bed this morning, walked out into the other room and saw this:

The first word that came to mind was "Ugh". Then I turned around, took my shower, and got to see it again on my way to the front door. Ugh, again. I just kept walking.

But when I got home tonight and looked closer, I really have been busy! And I've even made some progress. No, really! Check it out!

This little pile of card stock is a staging for my next task. I rescued the stack of card stock from my cut-but-never-used-so-it's-left-over workshop kits from many years ago, and I'll make six more of that tree card. Why six? Because that's how many pieces of the brown patterned paper I could cut out of the remaining piece. Very scientific how I do this.

Oh, and those pastel-colored scallop pieces on the right? Those are left over from my batch of Baby cards, and, well, I cannot seem to toss them. I just might need them some time, ya know? If they are still there when it comes to Clean Sweep time for the workshops, they might get tossed then, but not a moment sooner!

Er ... um ...right next to that project is a stack of eleven (yes, eleven) stamps that arrived on my doorstep today. They are all ready to use, but not until AFTER I make the red cards. Each one of those stamps is more irreverent than the next, so I hope to get to them this weekend.

Yes, I know they are taking up space on my work area, but so what. It should make me work harder so I can get to USE them.

This is an example of how bad the table is right now. See that acrylic block (carefully balanced on the lamp base since there was no where else to put it)? See how I have that small sentiment stuck to the very large block? That's because somewhere on that table, under all that stuff, are my smaller acrylic blocks. I may not find them until I clean up for the workshops.

By the way, I made my boys some cookies (good, college food, ya know), packed them up in boxes, threw in some oranges (to make up for the cookies), and decided I should include a card. So that stamp is out to make them each an "It's A Thinking Of You Cod". No, that is not a typo, so forget it.

Okay, just to show you that all is not lost, I really WAS working on stuff over there. First up is a Flap Fold Card from this week's SCS Monday challenge. I started making it according to their directions, then I took off on my own variation. The template provided to us makes a square card, and I wanted to see if I could make it as a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2. I tried.

This is the front of the card when it is folded. I used that purple flower paper I had out the other day, and this is why I like SU so much: I had a heck of a time finding purple card stock to coordinate with the patterned paper. I ended up using Perfect Plum, and it is okay. But the ribbon is Eggplant, and it is not so okay, but it's close enough for right now.

I used the retired Fancy Flexible Phrases set again for the sentiment and the flourishes around it. I like how that came out.

The original pattern had you score and trim an 11" piece of card stock. Since I wanted to make mine 5 1/2" tall, I needed a piece of card stock larger than 11, even larger than 12, so I was reduced to piecing. Piecing, as you may know, requires a lot of "hiding" for the seams. I cut two pieces and had them meet in the middle of the back of the card.

Here is a shot of the outside of the card, all stretched out, with cheesy lines and arrows.

The top part of the card in this photo is the flap that folds up and becomes the front of the card. The bottom curved part is what folds down and becomes the top flap.

In the center of the middle section is The Seam. It is cleverly disguised by a piece of paper that goes all the way to the edges of the card back. VERY clever, I thought.

Until I turned it over and had to deal with the inside.

The seam showed on the inside of the card. I cut the piece of paper (the reverse side of the purple, thank goodness, so I did not have to match it!) and layered it on a piece of Perfect Plum that was cut a little smaller than the card stock so there is a border around it. I think it would have looked weird without that border... Unfortunately that left the seam showing on both sides. But never fear! The Cuttlebug was still out, and I had an unopened pack of flower dies needing justification for having been purchased! I cut one in Perfect Plum and one in a scrap of Papertrey Moss that just happened to be lying on the table next to the Cuttlebug. (Can you tell I love justifying the whole not-putting-it-away-just-yet thing?) I used the punch-outs from the green flower as leaves for the halves of the purple one. And thus the seams were hidden!

Just so you can get an idea of the sizes, here are my two cards side-by-each. The one on the left is the A2 size, and the one on the right is the one made according to the instructions in the challenge.

Let me just say that if I ever think about making this card again, it will be of the challenge size, not the A2 size, especially if I use it in a class. It needs to be easy and the challenge pattern was just that - easy. I have a newfound respect for people who noodle around with an idea until they get it to work.

Aaaand, here's more finishing something I started and set aside! This is that wedding card I made with the Versamarked background that was really difficult to see, even in person, even in the magic light. Since I had used Sahara Sand on the sentiment, I decided to wheel one row in the Sahara Sand, too. The rest of the card is wheeled in Versamark, but you cannot see it! At least in the right light it looks not-so-plain.

The other day I had posted the card using the Together Forever sentiment, but this one uses the circle image from that same set and a sentiment from the retired Fancy Flexible Phrases.

Wow, I guess I did do stuff this week! I am off to finish making those red cards so I can play with my new stuff! Look for some irreverence coming your way very soon!