Sunday, September 11, 2011

First Post EVER

This is my brand new blog!  I've been stamping for about 2 years, but I have no history of any of the cards I've made, and although I surf other blogs and do challenges regularly, I've never entered a single one.  That's about to change.  I decided with my first post, I would continue the theme and enter the first challenge at the brand new Freshly Made Sketches.  This challenge is right up my alley, as my cards aren't overly simple, but they don't tend to have a lot of "extras" on them, either.

Here's the sketch:



And here's my card, it's time to start cranking on the Christmas cards, so this will be one of my designs:




















My card has a variety of firsts as well:
  • First time I've folded the striped grosgrain ribbon.  I've cut it before, and utilized the awesome fringe that comes out of that, but never folded it to get a skinnier ribbon.
  • Also the first time I've tried Very Vanilla craft covered by clear EP to get a Very Vanilla sentiment on dark paper.
  • First time I've used Valentine's Day DSP on a Christmas card!
  • And for good measure, the Merry Moments DSP is the first DSP I ever purchased.
I also decorate the inside of my cards:




















Did you see that?  The extra red dot before the "W"?  That's also the first smudge I've posted on my blog!  I'm of the opinion that these are handmade cards, and will therefore not usually be perfect, and so I don't stress about smudges like that.  :-)

Thanks so much for checking out my new blog!  

Card uses:
Card stock:  Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip
DSP:  Merry Moments,Sending Love SDSP (I think!)
Ink:  Very Vanilla Craft
Stamp sets:   Four the Holidays, Many Merry Messages
Other:  Chocolate Chip striped grosgrain ribbon, Ornament punch, clear EP, basic pearls

5 comments:

  1. Congrats on all of those firsts! I hope you enjoy your blogging journey! You are off to a great start! I love how you used some Valentine DSP for the ornament - I have some of that as well - great idea!

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  2. Well hello CJ! Congratulations on your new blog! You are about to embark on a great journey and this card is a great way to start. Way to work in all those "firsts" too! Thanks so much for choosing Freshly Made Sketches as your first challenge.

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  3. Hello CJ! Good for you to start your new blog! It is a lot of fun and so addicting, as you know from all the stamping you have been doing. This is a great first card and love everything about it, including the smudge! So happy you joined us at Freshly Made Sketches.
    Smiles,
    Lesley
    PS AM a follower now too!!!

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  4. CJ, congratulations on your new blog! What an honor to have you join us at Freshly Made Sketches for your first post. I love that you used the Valentine's paper on a Christmas card. I have almost a whole pack of that paper, so maybe I need to try it for other holidays, too! Hope you'll join us again next week. :)

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  5. Congratulations and welcome to the wonderful world of blogging.
    I am so honoured and delighted that you are beginning your blogging journey with the beginning of our brand new challenge site ... and what a fabulous first card too, love the patterned paper ... well done!!!
    Thank you for joining us in our debut challenge at Freshly Made Sketches!!!

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