Unfinished projects

Last week I registered for the Stampin' Up!^® convention in July, reserved a hotel room with a few of my awesome stamping friends and even booked my flights to Salt Lake City and back. (And I just want to point out that flights are not cheap right now. Egads.) It's Stampin' Up!'s 25th anniversary, and I'm really looking forward to seeing my buddies, so I know it will be a fun and exciting trip. But while I was card-making today, I realized that I still had some unfinished card kits from the last time I went to convention, in 2011. Whoops! I decided I wasn't going to another convention with those projects still unfinished, so I completed one of the kits this afternoon.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Easy Events
Card stock: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, textured Melon Mambo, Whisper White note cards and envelopes
Ink: Jet Black StazOn pad; Lucky Limeade, Daffodil Deilght, Melon Mambo markers
Accessories: Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, Melon Mambo polka dot ribbon, rhinestones, Mono Multi liquid glue, Dimensionals

This "kit" was assembled for demonstrators to use at a workshop; it included enough supplies for ten guests to make the same card. But I rarely have workshops, so instead I decided to make the cards and put them all together as a card set to give as a gift. On the left side of the photo above you can see the card that was designed for this kit. It's a very cute card, but I wanted to change the design because A) I didn't want to give a set of ten of the same specific birthday card, and B) I wanted the envelopes to be closeable instead of open holders for the cards to slide into.

I used the same stamp set for my design, but I switched the image (these flowers are my favorite stamp in the Easy Events set) and omitted the sentiment so the cards are suitable for most any occasion. I also used a  layout and color palette similar to the sample card, but I added some texture by embossing the card front. I love this clean and simple, but still eye-catching, design. I even stamped flowers on the envelopes, too, so they coordinate with the cards.

One bonus of redesigning this card was the leftover ribbon. The kit contained ten 14" pieces of the polka dot Melon Mambo ribbon -- enough to wrap a piece all the way around each card and tie into a knot. Well I used just about 3-1/2" of ribbon on each card, so I only needed two and one-half of the pre-cut ribbons. I used the last 7" of the third piece to decorate the bag for the card set -- I stapled the bag closed and used strong tape to adhere the knotted ribbon over the staple -- so I have seven pieces left to use however I want! That's an extra fun treat because I never bought any of this style ribbon.

Now I have one less unfinished project sitting around and four card sets all made and ready to give as gifts. Of course, I'll be giving away at least three of them in the next few months, so the "work" never ends.

I have one more convention card kit left to finish, and I'll share it with you as soon as it's ready. Thanks for stopping by!