I have found a new website and Facebook pages with the most inspiring card layouts, http://www.kraftinkimmiestamps.com
You must go to her Facebook page and view for yourself her photo albums. After five minutes I already have too many inspirations to number!!! At her website if you find a stamp you wish to purchase, each stamp has 4 or 5 images beneath it, of full colored layouts. Inspiration is everywhere!!!
So, below is a layout I created via inspiration of one of Kimmie's images.
I love lot's of details. To me, it is the details that make the card so special. It is the details that make the card more of a gift, beyond just a greeting card.
Here is a list of some of the details: In addition of the card base, there are two solid matting that the tableau is placed upon. The tableau itself has three design prints, with a solid color strip at the bottom, in addition to the solid color edge punching. It's a bit hard to see in the photo the gems added to the edge punching. There's a lace like punch located in the bottom third of the card. The embossed stamped image is hand painted. And what seems to be my signature punched 3D flowers and leaves, both outside and inside the card.
I did something new with my large floral punch. I got a tiny dowel, thinner than a pencil and roll each pedal over the dowel. It's hard to see it in this image, but the flower has a fountain effect. Usually I fold all the pedal upwards, where all pedals kinda reach towards the sky, then I flatten ever so slightly, for a natural look. With the rolling effect, the pedal rises then flows back down towards the card, thus a fountain effect. Looks flat in the photo, but nice curvy effect in real life.
I wasn't 100% pleased with this card, though it was a huge learning experience.
I wasn't in love with the lace like punch located at the bottom third of the card. It felt distracting. It felt like it didn't belong.
I did not like the raw visible edges where the cut designs print pieces meet.
So, back to the drawing board.
I also added grosgrain ribbon to hide the raw edges. It just seems so much cleaner.
Now, I got a new toy, the dimension Gerber Daisy punch by EK Success. With help from the posted Youtube video I learned how to make the 3D flower. I've added one more step. I used ribbon around the base of the flower to give it a cleaner finish.
The next time I make the flower, I think I'll trim down the bottom edge. The flower sits a little tall, so trimming the bottom edge may reduce the height. Additionally, when I bunch the flowers together I'll lower the smaller flower a bit, so they're not hidden is the shadow of the bigger flower.
As always I like the interior of the card to carry on the flow of the theme of the card in style, color or however the card may lend itself to additional design ideas.
So, during another visit to Kimmie's Facebook page, I noticed an interior shot of one of her cards. So with that inspiration in my back pocket, here's my best interruption of bring the exterior design to the inside of the card.
