Card contest entries

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had made a couple of cards that I was entering in a card contest at a rubber stamp show. Well, the show was today, and ... I didn't win. Sigh. I was a little disappointed, but on the plus side, my friend Lisa and I had a great time. We learned some new tips and tricks, did some make-and-take projects and, of course, bought lots of new goodies.

The theme for today's card contest was "easy chair." Here are my entries:

I actually purchased this stamp set at the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo in June. I had been looking for a stamp set that fit the theme for this contest and when I spotted this set I liked it right away. Even better is that I really like the cards I made with the set!

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Make Yourself at Home (My Favorite Things), Floral backgroound
Paper: Brocade Blue, Whisper White card stock; Wood Textures Designer Series Paper (DSP) Stack
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaMark; Warm Gray No. 3 marker (Copic); Bendabilities/
Blends: Old Olive, Night of Navy, Bronze
Accessories: Wonky Stitched Circles dies (My Favorite Things), Simply Scored tool, earth tones glitter buttons (American Crafts), linen thread, Dimensionals

For my first card I wanted to make a homey little scene, so I stamped and colored a few of the elements from the set and then cut them out. (Coordinating dies are available for this set, but I didn't get them. These pieces are easy enough for me to hand cut.)

I scored a piece of white card stock every 1/8" to look like wainscotting, and I used a piece of wood-patterned DSP as the floor. I attached the piece together and then die cut them with a wonky stitched circle die. I adhered the scene elements to the circle, using Dimensionals to pop up the chair and lamp.

I stamped a floral background image on a blue card base using VersaMark ink to create a subtle background. After adding the focal piece, I stamped a sentiment in the lower right corner and added three buttons tied with linen thread.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Make Yourself at Home (My Favorite Things)
Paper: Thick Very Vanilla card stock, The Thrift Shop patterned paper (October Afternoon)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Basic Black marker, Chocolate Chip marker
Accessories: Metallic enamel shapes, Large Stitched Rectangles Stackables dies (Lawn Fawn), Mono Multi, Glue Dots, Stamp-a-Ma-Jig

I thought the chair would be a great image for paper piecing, and I had the perfect paper: a pack of patterned paper with vintage-looking small patterns.

I played around with the layout for awhile and finally settled on a grid of nine chairs with space for a sentiment between the bottom two rows. Using a Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to help with placement, I stamped the chairs on a large vanilla stitched rectangle. Then I stamped the chair image on nine different patterned papers. I cut out the top part of each chair (the upholstered part, without the legs) and glued them all to the chairs stamped on the vanilla card stock. Tip: Before I glued down the patterned chairs, I rubbed the side of a black marker all along the cut edge. This covers up any little edges past the stamped lines and gives the images a more finished look. I also added pillows to a few of the chairs.

To finish the card, I colored the chair legs, stamped a sentiment and added two silver hearts. Then I adhered the entire panel to a Very Vanilla card base.

I'm sure I'll enter the contest again next year. They've already announced the themes, so maybe I should get started now! Thanks for stopping by!