Thursday, May 26, 2011

Variations on a Theme: A Wreath for All Seasons, Part 1

I saw a card using A Wreath for All Seasons from Papertrey in Card Creations, and it inspired me to do my variations on a theme on that set. My first layout uses the basic idea of the inspiration card by Maile Belles to accent the wreath with a button and punched leaves that you can see here.


I, of course, took her pretty card down to one layer and vastly simplified it because a) I don't have that patterned paper and b) I can't help myself. Here's the first layout using it...one card for each season!

Spring has pretty Memento angel pink berries on it (they show lighter than they are in the photo, though) and a darker pink for the sentiment. The button has a few leaves tucked under it just like Maile's


For Summer, I used cantaloupe and tangelo inks, and a fun flower button.

Fall uses potter's clay for the berries and sentiment. The brown button is the center of an improvised sunflower, made with two daisy punches layered askew.

Finally, the Winter card is stamped with red ink accented with a poinsettia (another, larger daisy punched twice and layered). The center is a gold half-bead rather than a button because none of my yellow buttons looked right.

For the record, I prefer buttons to have a bit of thread on them, as Maile's card shows. BUT given the super simple design of these cards, thread, which I tried, looked sort of busy. For once, I didn't thread the buttons, and for once, I'm good with that.

See? I told you yesterday there would be LOTS OF WHITE today.

Several of you commented yesterday that you own Dot Spot from PTI and haven't used it. Oh, the tragedy! I love that set and consider it the best $15 set PTI has ever offered for sale. Hope you can pull it out soon and discover its joys for yourselves!

14 comments:

  1. Love them! I just love all of your work--you really inspire me to create using CAS!

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  2. When I saw the first card, I thought: "That doesn't look like one of your cards!" Hah! I was right! I can usually spot your cards on my Google Reader without looking at the name! Love your style! Question: the little dots on the wreaths - is that a stamp?

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  3. Love, love , love these cards, Susan! Summer is my favourite!

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  4. Beautiful and elegant, love them!

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  5. I love these inspiration posts!!
    I also love the different flowers you used for each season - I think my favourite must be the sunflower :)
    Commenting is still spotty with embedded forms, so I'm trying as anon. - hopefully it works! I wanted to let you know that I tagged you with a Versatile Blogger award, since I love visiting all of your blogs. Here's my post:
    http://onecraftymama-onecraftymama.blogspot.com/2011/05/versatile-blogger-award-holy-ahem.html

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  6. These are all just wonderful, love them ALL!!!

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  7. I'd never have thought a wreath stamp could be used so successfully all year round! These cards prove otherwise. I love every card. And I DO love that Dot Spot set from PTI, but every time I consider it, I don't think I'd get much use out of it. Guess I need to think again....

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  8. As your blog opened I thought I was in the wrong place until I scrolled down a bit! LOVE what you did!

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  9. Terri (blindstamper)May 27, 2011 at 8:52 AM

    I think you are a genius. Really. These are awesome, just like the inspired by Beth Opel cards that blogger wouldn't let me comment on that day. Actually, it's not cooperating today either.

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  10. Fabulous Susan , I love all but winter just scrapes in front. Brilliant idea to do the seasons, Love the whole set :0) xxx
    p.s your followers have disappeared just like mine, I hope they come back soon, :{ xxx

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  11. What a treat to see these examples! Love them all!

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  12. Oh, gorgeous! Love them all but the winter one is my favourite.

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!