Framed!

Sometimes I have a hard time using a stamp because I think it's too small to really use as a focal point on my card. Sometimes I do a big brayered scene and end up hating it because there are too many lines on it or I mess up an area and can only look at that area and not the rest of the card. Sometimes I'm just not feeling those creative juices and don't know how to finish something I've started. When these things happen, if I don't throw the image out (blasphemy!) I'll put it in a pile on my work table. And it doesn't seem like it takes long for that pile to get bigger and bigger. Well, as I was browsing through the splitcoast tutorials this weekend, I saw a tutorial for a 'folded frame card.' So I printed out the directions and decided to give it a whirl when I had a chance. I had an 'a-ha!' moment and decided to use them on all my misfit images! Wow!!! Now all those images are getting a second chance at life and living up to their card potential! It makes me so happy. The two cards today are some more 'manly' cards. I pulled out some DSP from the fall/winter SU Mini that I didn't use nearly enough in the fall/winter. Each card uses the same double-sided paper, just folded differently. LOVE that you get such different looks with the same sheet of paper - how cool is that??
Here are the details, pretty much similar for both cards: Both images were brayered and then stamped with Lovely as a Tree. Graduation card used Bashful blue for sky and old olive for grass. Tree stamped with chocolate chip & leaves painted on with aquapainter using more mustard, pumpkin pie and dusty durango (real rust would also look good). Father's day card sky was brayered with more mustard & dusty durango. Old olive for the greens (I used a post-it pad to help make the lines to distinguish between green & fairway - I think those are the right terms). Trees stamped with chocolate chip & then choc chip sponged over to soften the tree line. I hand-drew the flag. I also used dimensionals to hold down the folded-over frame to give it some extra, well, dimension. TFL and I'll be back with more soon!


Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps:Lovely as a tree, Teeny tiny wishes, Linen background
Cardstock:Real rust, chocolate chip
Ink: See above
Other Stuff: Nesties, brads, Martha Stewart scor-board, Word window punch