Tuesday, January 1, 2013

A Compendium of Curiosities 2 -- The Final Challenge

First of all, I want to thank Linda Ledbetter for being the creative force behind both the first and second Compendium of Curiosities challenges.  A weekly challenge often gave me just the boost I needed to get the juices flowing.  I participated in all of the first set, but this past year life often got in the way, and I didn't get as many challenge pieces done as I'd have liked.  But, as in all aspects of living, it's best if you just deal with what you've been given, make the best of it, and carry on with as little guilt and fewest "what ifs" as possible.

For the final CCC2, Linda challenged us to use any of Tim's techniques from either Volume 1 or 2, and make a birthday card for Tim.  Great timing, as his birthday is next week.  And I have been itching to use my new Sizzix Pop N Cut die to create something.  Because the focus of this card is the inside, I kept the front fairly simple. 



I used paper from Tim's Vintage Shabby stack and embossed it with his Damask folder, and highlighted the embossing with various distress ink browns and blues.  The banners and leaves are both from his Regal Crest die.  The greeting is an old Stampin' Up stamp which I love and use all the time on birthday cards. It was stamped on some scrap from Vintage Shabby and cut with a scallop oval punch, and layered on a larger plain oval.  That, and the Regal Crest die cuts were done on kraft cardstock, which is what I also used as the card base.

And now for the inside.  I have not done many pop up cards and I think I'm in love!  I need to get more inserts for the base die, but there are plenty of things that can be done with the one that comes with it.





The skyline is a stamp from Tim's Rock Star set.  The balloons, floating above the city are from one of the very first Sizzix dies I ever bought, about a hundred years ago (or so it feels), back when I had that heavy, unwieldly red machine that you had to crank.  That made way for my Big Kick, which, after many years of service, retired (to the back of a closet) to make room for my Vagabond.  I can't imagine having to crank out a die cut anymore!  Spoiled?  You bet I am.  But back to the card.
Except for the skyline, which was stamped on Ranger's Specialty Paper, everything else was cut from various papers from the Vintage Shabby stack, and inked with different distress inks in blues and browns.

Here is a sideways view so you can see the "pop."

 
 
The balloons and the skyline were attached with pop dots, so there was popping on top of popping.
 
The card is in the mail (in one of my handmade envelopes, by the way), and I hope Tim enjoys receiving it even half as much as I enjoyed making it.
 
 



26 comments:

Mary-Beth said...

Fabulous card Eileen! I'm sure he'll love it!

Patzee said...

What a great card! Welcome to the world of paper engineering! Love the balloon die!!

teri said...

This card is fabulous. I love the colors and elements you put together here, and what fun to see how it pops!

Linda Ledbetter said...

Eileen, this is fantastic!!! Looks to me like you've been making pop-up cards your entire life-- it's PERFECT!!! Once again, you've inspired me, and I know Tim is going to love it!

Thanks so much for being part of the CC2 challenge! I appreciate you so much!!!

xo,
Linda

Anonymous said...

What a great card!!

Sue said...

Very cool card! Love that POP!

inge said...

Hello Eileen,


a happy new creative year from Belgium !!

Welcome to the world of pop-ups :) I don't have the die( yet), but I'm completely into pop-ups the last months.
It's great to be creative with it.

Great first card ! Love the colorcombination of the blue and the brown and how you placed the banners on the front.

Great idea to use the skyline to make Tim wishes from NY !

greetings from belgium
Inge

lilyandthelotus.blogspot.com said...

This is a master piece...oh my gosh it should be on the cover of somerset studio. I love it and know he will to.
hugs
susan s.

Jane said...

Wow, you are such an amazing artist. I love how you used the pop n cuts. They are my new favorite thing to do.

Elena said...

I thi k i have the pop up base somewhere! Going to lojok for it!! LOL!!

Lynn Stevens said...

How FUN Eileen. Tim's going to love it! Guess I need to pick up one of those pop in cuts!
Hugs Lynn
Happy New Year hon!

Anne said...

Where would we send a card for Tim? To Ranger to be forwarded? I would love to send him a greeting for his Birthday!

Beverly Sager said...

Great card! Clever use of the skyline stamp. Love the colors you used. The balloons make it very festive :D

Unknown said...

Came out great! Tim's gonna love it!

Karen B said...

It's fantastic! I love the skyline with the balloons - perfection! Glad you like Pop 'n Cuts!

Annette Green said...

I still LOVE the Vintage Shabby papers and love what you did here. What a great creation!

Shelly Hickox said...

Be careful...those pop-ups can be a bit addicting!! ;-)

Your card is gorgeous and I know Tim will go crazy for it!

Sue said...

Awesome card! Never seen the balloon die, pretty neat!

Carol said...

Lucky Tim! I'm sure he'll be thrilled. This is a wonderful card, hard to believe it's your first pop up! Happy New Year!

Kim said...

Spectacular and inspired! I particularly love the way you used the Regal die and the cityscape stamp - so creative. He will love it.

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Awesome!!! Love the city scape pop up...genius!

Donna Gibson said...

Hi Eileen, this is a great card! Cutting out that skyline image must have been quite a task but the results are definitely worth it. Those balloons are awesome! I was wondering what die you used and am disappointed it's an oldie and not available now. Darn!

Lori said...

This is spectacular, I LOVE the city scape and balloons, how is it that I do not have that particular die?? I've got a lot of the originals, but not that one..I might have to go searching..works great for the pop ups!

CuddlyBunny said...

Fantastic, beautiful card!

Marjie Kemper said...

Your card is just fabulous, Eileen! Love the city skyline and the balloons. I too have gone through the Sizzix evolution... can you picture a photo step-out of the diecutting machines like the evolution chimp-to-man pics? xx

Tim will love your card, no doubt.

Rea' said...

Great card ... love the color combo, and the pop-up is awesome !