Friday, February 19, 2010

When Everything Goes Sideways

This card did not turn out as expected. At all. Sometimes, everything just goes sideways and you just have to throw the card away. Sometimes, as here, you can salvage a decent card anyway.

I started with a heart punched out of a sticky-tape sheet, which I adhered to white cardstock and punched out a second time before peeling the other side off and adding pink Doodlebug glitter. By backing the heart with cardstock, I could pop it up. The popping part actually worked.

Let me just go on record as saying that sticky-tape sheets are awesome...until they turn yellow. The first one I tried had turned on me. Pink glitter over yellowed sticky tape looks vile. Urgh. Fortunately, I had a fresh sheet of another brand. I've also noticed that page pebbles turn yellow eventually, too. Sigh. If anyone knows of a brand that doesn't yellow, please, please, please tell me.

This card, as planned, was going to have a pink base. Didn't work. It was also going to have black gingham ribbon. Looked weird. Finally, it was just pink. Whatever.



While it's nowhere near what I had in mind, I'll take it because what I had in mind--what looked lovely in my mind--didn't translate to reality. Happens all the time, and it. is. o. kay.

Funny Kid Story: A few years ago, we bought the DVD for the movie Sideways . Nick, our firstborn, was about 6 or 7. He was fascinated with the fact the movie was rated R and he wasn't allowed to watch it. Anyway, we were driving back from vacation in North Carolina. He was getting bored and started horsing around in the back seat. "Mom, guess what! I'm Rated R!" I glanced back and saw him lying sideways over the arm rest. "See! I'm Sideways. Get it?"

That's my boy.

17 comments:

  1. It might not match the idea in your head, but it sure is lovely! Can't go wrong with pink and glittery. I was just going through some older supplies the other day, and I also had to pitch a bunch of yellowed page pebbles -- not a pretty sight! Anyway, maybe you can use your yellowed sticky sheet with yellow-y glitter colors instead!

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  2. Yes, Angela. I thought it might be okay for fall cards, but it bothers me that page pebbles I used on scrapbook pages are yellowing when they were labled acid free and archival. Sigh.

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  3. Susan, your card is lovely, even if it isn't what you imagined. Loved the story about Nick, too --- I can just picture that! About the pebbles, there are those of us out there that have a boxful, with no ideas on how to use them. And now to find out they're going to yellow? Bummer!

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  4. I love your card and your kid story tickled me.

    I don't know what page pebbles are.

    But I get my sticky sheet from vivalasvegasstamps www.stampo.com it's Miracle Tape brand. Anyhow I've had the same sheets for years, literally like 3-4 years and they are not yellowing. I can't say what they will do in a few more years but 3-4 is pretty good right? They are also pretty affordable. I don't use them as much as I should, maybe I'll take inspiration from you and punch something with mine today.

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  5. I know what you mean about cards not turning out the way they look in your head ~ but at least yours looks great! Mine are more often *toss-aways*!!

    I can picture and hear your son as he laughs at his own joke ~ aren't memories like that wonderful? :o)

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  6. Sounds like Nick is a chip off the ol' block to me! :0) Great card, BTW and glad to hear I'm not the only one that goes through similar processes to get an end result.

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  7. Never heard of Pebbles and never bought sticky sheets, though they sounded like a luxury that would be a great help. But I could surely name several products that have become useless in a short period of time. Mostly the oxidizing of metals troubles me (silver glitter turning really dark and losing the shine, for example).

    Anyway, I love your card and your kid story. And I'm especially glad that I'm not the only one who sometimes can't bring a gorgeous card from my mind to my table. Way too often that's because I'm trying to duplicate a card I saw on your blog and thought was sooooo easy! (I'm still working on the Hero Arts Christmas tree in the glittered frame. My 10th try last night resulted in a new cuss vocabulary, but I'm NOT giving up!)

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  8. I love happy accidents! Your card is nice, even though it's not what you started out to make. ;-)

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  9. Though your card didn't turn out the way you planned...it's very pretty, Susan! Love the sparkle!!

    Cute story!! ;)

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  10. Hilarious kid story. That sounds like something my DD would do.
    This card looks great! I can not imagine this with black gingham ribbon, I love it the way it is.

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  11. really like the pink, susan.
    it is friendly and soft.
    thanks for sharing.
    love the nick story.
    aren't kids the BEST?!!
    marty ferraro

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  12. Funny, when I look at your cards I always think they are exactly what you have planned! This is a beautiful card. I so love the Nick story! I think kids are the coolest people!

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  13. I think sometimes we all need a card like this as we always learn from it. This turned out lovely Susan, worth the little hurdles along the way!

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  14. At least you ended up with an awesome card! Love it!! Good luck finding non-yellowing pebbles!! and your son is quite a card!! kids always come up with the funnies things!!

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  15. Dear Susan - Never leave comments, but this post I couldn't leave "uncommented".... I've been following you for quite some time, and I love your work, your philosophy, your honesty, your sincerity, etc etc etc. But this comment is really about Nick..I have to say - Nick sounds like the smartest kid around! I think his life-view and perception is a product of your artistic perspective blended with the love, support, and faith you have in him. Thank you for sharing yourself, and Nick, with us, your reading public and fans. Angela Y

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  16. Ah, cards that make you work for it. I think it's great the way it is. Can't imagine another base or ribbon.

    Love the sideways story. Those moments when they put things together in their minds and then see the humor in it...priceless.

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  17. Soft and feminine ... love it.
    My 'sideways' cards always end in the trash!!
    I had to toss my pebbles; they didn't turn yellow but curved up at the edges and refused to stick ...
    Nick sounds as if he has inherited your sense of humour and way with words ... priceless!!
    TFS

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!