Good Works

I haven't posted a card in a while, have I? Well, I've got quite a few projects I'm trying to catch up on as I'm still getting ready for craft fair season so I haven't been making many cards. Still, here's one I made as a swap for a local Stampin' Up! demos meeting.

It uses the Pocket Silhouettes set in Kiwi Kiss, Tango Tangerine & Riding Hood Red & punched out using the Key Tag Punch. I used the "Good Works" sentiment from the Inspired by Nature set. I didn't know if the connected images would reflect a chain (what I was going for), so I opted to be rather obvious about it. The "chain links" were made by first punching a 3/4" hole in More Mustard cardstock & then using the 1" circle to punch around it so you're left with just the sliver circle. People didn't mistake it for Chanel so mission accomplished. I used Dotto to adhere them. Lemme tell you, it took quite awhile for 30 cards!

Let me reflect for a moment on this stamping phenomenon called "swapping" for the unitiated. The purpose is to get tons of variety for inspiration or in my case, my display board. You make a bunch of the same card (just the front of it) & label the back with your name & usually the "ingredients" of the card. At these demo meetings I've gone to, people swap immediately. It's really funny to walk in & have a mob of ladies swoop in on you as the newcomer with fresh swaps! It's a good mixer too because you're ooh-ing & ahh-ing over each other's work & gives you an excuse to walk up to anyone carrying a baggie or box of cards. That's when you usually think "I've got to make a nicer card next time!" I haven't met any swap "snobs" but I've heard about them--they're people who ignore you because they don't like your swap. If you want to do this with your friends (uh, swapping, not being a snob), you can also try a "shoebox swap" where you get together & actually make each other's card designs (you bring all the "ingredients" with you in the shoebox). It's good fun--if you make full cards, you can be rolling in unique Birthday greetings for a couple of months :-)

Good Works