Inspiration Is Everywhere....

Inspiration comes from the funniest places.  Sometimes you will see something in a magazine or store, or someone will say something that sparks an idea, but most often for me, it's catching a glance at my glass jar full of ribbons--that lilac crushed vevet has been calling me for days (and you'll probably see that next post!) or even just looking through my patterned CS.  Something sparks in your mind and off you go.  Wherever it comes from, I love inspiration~it's what keeps life interesting!  I am fortunate enough to have inspiration all around me, an amazing husband, 4 great kids and a job that always leaves me guessing about the next moment and planning crazy, inspired things. I feel very blessed in life, and its moments like this when I take the time to reflect that I especially appreciate.  Inspiration~it whispers everywhere we are, sometimes we just have to close our eyes and listen for it.

{Black Love Card}

I love this card, it's one of my favorites.  Its made with Vanilla CS from SU, stamped with the lace trim (forget the name) in Staz on, then I adhered this super sweet fabric paper I bought in Edmonton.  Can't find anything like it now, but it's actually fabric.  Added the cream pearls for effect.  Adhered the ribbon I got at Walmart (of all places?!) and its super soft satin, I love it.  Then I added the tag, again from my sister.  It was white, so I used apricot craft ink (SU) to rough it up and make it look creamy.  Added my sentiment, rounded the corners with my CM corner trimmer and voila, it was done.  Super easy, sometimes its about having just the perfect 'touch' to make the card spectacular.  For this card, inspiration came from looking at that scrap of fabric that had just a little corner left...  

{Scallops and Pearls}

This card was pretty tricky to photograph, I am not going to lie.  The Bazzill textured paper is shimmery, so everything glows and reflects right down to the ribbons and pearls interspersed.  I made this by cutting and scoring the CS, then cutting half an inch off the bottom of the card front.  I cut circles with my SU 1-1/4" punch, several of each color.  I then layered them and trimmed them to fit the sides.  The very top was just a rectangle of textured CS, with a tiny scalloped edge in that darkest color.

I adhered 2 different sizes of pearls randomly.  Tied on the ribbon, and with my 3/4" punch made a circle, attached an SU rhinestone, then surrounded it with Michaels pearls from the cheap bin.  I adhered that with dottos that were thick and gooey.  The tag was from my sister, as usual, and I stamped it with one of my fave stamps then craft inked the edges.  I'm pretty happy with it, a little elegant and over the top but sometimes that's what your're after.  Totally ripped from the cards mag I bought last week, it was one of their designs and I wanted to see if I could reproduce it effectively.  It was very, very time consuming!  All those scallops...they took so long to cut and line up.  I generally make 2 of every card, so I have one to give away and one to keep (hoarder!) but it took so long I am just adding it to my worshop inspiration collection.

Hope you enjoyed today's cards!

While feeling vastly better, i am not feeling quite back to my creative self so I have no problem ripping others ideas and using them until my own juices start flowing again!