Randomness

Sometimes when playing around in my studio I come up with great ideas but just can't execute them very well. Ever happen to you?

These two cards are examples of this phenomenon. I'm hosting a no-layers card swap at Art Happens, and after making my first set weeks ago, I decided to make some more because it was fun and it was a challenge for me not to use layers. I had this idea of stamping on dark CS with bleach and keeping it simple with just a ribbon or some brads. Ummm...didn't quite turn out like I anticipated, so I tried my castaway pad...again, not quite right. So then, *light bulb* I thought maybe white pigment ink might do the trick. It did a reasonable job, and after highlighting some areas with white gel pen, it turned out great.

So lets just keep it on the 'down-low' that it took me almost 3 weeks to create this absurdly simple card, huh?! *wink*

SUPPLIES: Flower stamp, CS and ribbon by SU!, Sentiment by TAC, white ink by Versamagic, black ink by Ranger, White gel pen, and white glaze pen.


While highlighting the edges of the stamped flower with gel pen, another "great idea" popped into my head. Why not stamp something in black ink on a darker CS and highlight IT in white too? After four attempts at creating what I could see in my head (but could NOT execute on paper), this is all I have to show for it:
I stamped the frame (Stampers Anonymous) with black on SU CS, and attempted to highlight it with white gel pen and a white Galaxy marker for contrast. I then cut out the center and placed the frame over a face image (Eclectic Omnibus) stamped on white CS. I used my old crackled BG stamp (which I have a love/hate relationship with) on the card base and used a sentiment (Eclectic Omnibus) matted with white and decorated with white brads for the bottom. I wanted to use a sheer white ribbon, but am running seriously low so I went with a white grosgrain. While I DO like the duo-tone colors of this card, it is not quite what I was seeing in my mind...oh well, can't win 'em all, right?