Card making marathon...

First of all...it's going to be a long post...as the title says...it's about "marathon" so the post is long as well :P

I was never so frustrated, and spent so much time on ONE card.

A friend of mine has requested a wedding card few weeks ago. But due to various "reasons" I didn't actually started until last night, which she would like to pick up the card. I wasn't too motivated to sit down at the craft table these days (unless I have an order to fulfill). I planned to use the Magnolia wedding stamp I got but too late to start now, the colouring would take ages.

Anyway, I started my card making around 10pm. This time I would like to make use of a "Dress" stamp that I have. I always want to try that stamp so it's now the perfect occasion.

Also, I got a new pack of Basic Gray 6x6 paper pad "Cappella", with very elegant and vintage feel paper. Also perfect for wedding card.

In order to get the 3D effect of the dress, I stamp the dress on the paper once then stamp again on the other same paper and cut it out. But don't know if I use the wrong ink or what, the image is never sharp. I tried different type of ink: memento, memories, even distress ink, both didn't give me sharp image. I was so frustrated at that point because each paper only came in two pieces. I'm running out of paper to stamp my dress! So I try to use plain cream colour card stock then emboss it (to give the dress some texture) but the result is not as great as using the original paper. Argh!! After so many attempts I finally decided to pick the better dress image out of the "not so crisp" image. And use marker to trace the line.

OK...dress image is solved. Now on to the edges. I tried to use my EK Punch to make small scallop edges along the BG paper and you know what...the paper got STUCK! It's not a particular thick paper and I don't have another one to work with! I was so disappointed and tried to search other pattern paper stock that I have but despite my effort, I can't find anything that matches well. So, I have to think of something else to "cover up" the tear edges when I forcefully remove the paper from the punch. Next thing that came to my mind is to use ribbon. Then I started to search through my ribbon stock. Since I put all my ribbon into plastic bag and then I feel like I'm searching through some "garbage" bag. Anyway, time just flied and I work till dawn...

And viola! Done! (the outside)

Now on to the inside, just stamp a wedding cake and sentiment. And I put some diamond stickles on it to make it sparkle. And after a while, I forgot that little stickle area is NOT DRY so when I try to close the card, it stinks the other side of the page! !@#$#@!$!$!$ I don't want to stick another white card stock on top to cover it so I have to think think think...finally find 2 heart stamps to cover it up...

Such a long "RANT"...and here it is the finally product.



Detail of the "dress". Does it look like a wedding dress?

Material:
Dress stamp: Inkadinkado 8353
Sentiment: HA CL272
BG Cappella paper pad
Cuttlebug Textile and swiss dot folders on the dress (yes the textile embossing doesn't look too great so I ran it through swiss dot folder again)
Others:
ribbons, gem stones, studio G glitter glue

I pick the brown colour tone just because the recipient is the groom I heard so I just try to use a more masculine colour. But don't ask me why I use a wedding dress as the main theme!

The inside:


I also told my friend that I will make two cards for her to choose. So I quickly make another one. I think this one should be the fastest of all cards.
No stamp required! Just ribbon, stickers, paper, dry embossing, that's it!


I like both, but I was hoping my friend pick the first one just because I spent so much time/effort on it. How long? From start (around 10pm-ish) to finish, you see the picture date/time....It's 6am the next day...

And yes, my friend does pick the first one.