So here’s today’s card, which I made sometime in the spring.

I call this “Jen’s card” because my neighbor Jen is this card’s biggest cheerleader. I mentioned earlier that I’m part of a group of neighbors who get togther at a coffee shop occasionally to work on creative stuff together. Well, Jen is part of that group and in April I was working on this card at our get togethers. Jen watched this card evolve and was its cheerleader when I was doubting how it was turning out.

I mounted the plaid background on the card base with some patterned paper from Making Memories’ Dilly Dally collection. I zig zag stitched at the seam between the two, then added the embellishments and sentiment.

All supplies are from Stampin’ Up!

The center medallion was made using emboss resist. I punched a mask using the EK Success Wavy Circle punch, then clear embossed Stampin’ Up!’s Woodgrain stamp. I then removed the mask and sponged Stampin’ Up!’s Crumb Cake Ink and Tim Holt’s Peeled Paint Distress Ink over the embossed image and wiped off. I then Punched out the image with Stampin’ Up!’s 2 1/2″ Circle Punch.

I love the Stampin’ Up! set Homegrown, but this was the first time I’d used it. I thought it was a fun way to use the garlic stamp from that set. Not a lot to say about this card. The base is Basic Black cardstock with Vanilla Mist Smooch Spritz sprayed on it to give it some glam. The drops of blood are covered in Crystal Effects to make them look wet.  The rest is just some fussy cutting and attaching of ribbon.

Also, today is the first day of NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), and like last year, my goal is to post every day. Unlike last year, I do not have a really great plan. Here’s what I’m thinking:

• Week 1: Stuff I’ve made that you haven’t seen yet
• Week 2: Color challenge week – a different color combo each day
• Week 3: Holiday gifts
• Week 4: Sketch week – a different sketch each day

One post down. 29 to go.

I used Stampin’ Up!’s French Foliage set for my “filler” stamps – the script is stamped on the patterned paper in So Saffron, and the passport stamp image on the card base so it peeks out behind the distressed patterned paper. And it is hard to see, but the card has a subtle shimmer from Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz.

When people ask my what my “style” is I say clean/shabby…I love distressing things, but don’t like the collage like look that a lot of shabby/vintage cards have. I think this card is a perfect example of my style.

After playing around with a few ideas on how to make the ball, I decided to keep it simple and just to use a fabric brad. As for the background, I was really stumped, until I watched the movie Coraline and saw the scene when she is watching the mouse circus.

Here’s how I got all those tent pieces to fit so well:

• Use repositionable tape to hold two pieces of patterned paper together.
• On the “reverse side” sketch the panels of the tent and the arcs where the ring and the roof begin.
• Following your sketch, cut both pieces of paper at the same time.
• Carefully separate the pieces of paper, alternating colors (you’ll actually have enough for 2 cards!)
• Glue the pieces onto a piece of plain paper, trimming away excess paper. I found this easier than trying to glue it onto a card base of the correct size.
• Glue tent background onto card.