A SPECIAL CARD FOR A SPECIAL WEDDING

 SOME VERY GOOD FRIENDS ARE GETTING MARRIED and I found a lovely picture that I wanted to use in some way on their card.  A picture of two cats.  I had no idea what form this card was going to take - just that I wanted this picture.  Various ideas drifted about but none were quite right.  Even after the invitation arrived I had no clear idea.

 Then my muse struck ...... a booklet type card.  A lot of work, yes.  Worth every minute, yes.  
Starting with the DCWV Once upon a time 8" x 8" pad I looked for the right images for this fairy tale.

A castle, a forest, gates and a joke linked to the invitation.  Pictures found and then altered using CRAFT ARTIST. http://www.daisytrail.com/gallery.html

To make my card I began with a sketch, I don't usually do this but I wanted to know exactly how many pages I would need.  I also had to know where to split the pages to add an air of mystery to my story.  With the pictures chosen, altered and stuck to my backing pages I bound my card using my Zutter Bind-it-all.  It seemed right to try alternate pages for this card, I was a little worried about doing this without a trial run but it worked really well.  I rounded the corners of the pages to give a nice finish.
http://www.binditall.com/ 

With the base card made I can really go to town decorating the pages.  
Using an arched window background sheet I cut out the bridal cats and after sticking them down highlighted some features with glitter glue.

Craft artist dipping in deeper

I recorded a program from the create and craft channel last weekend about the CRAFT ARTIST program which has reminded me how good it is. http://www.createandcraft.tv/homepage.aspx So as well as all the other crafts I am trying to squeeze into my days I now want to use CRAFT ARTIST as well. 
http://www.daisytrail.com/ I really have the attention span of a fish at the moment.  All the time my mind is drifting from one craft to another.

ANYWAY THEY WERE DOING DEMONSTRATIONS on using the punch feature and the brush feature and as my clearing up on Monday found the manual for CRAFT ARTIST lets give it a go.

I set my paper size for an eight by eight scrapbooking page then selected a backing paper and a couple of materials.  After adding the backing paper I placed one of the materials on my page,  selected the scissor function on the toolbar and then chose the flower punch.  I saved the flower and discarded the rest of the material then repeated this for a second flower.  I then placed the second piece of material on my backing paper and this time chose the circle punch, I punched two circles - discarding the circles and keeping the background.  I then dragged the flowers into the circles and added two small butterflies.  A large butterfly completes the page ( I reversed this image because it looked nicer).

http://www.daisytrail.com/scrapbook.html?uid=103675&g=42ee9382-2601-11e0-8811-90fba6bf896f&m=FP01U/RUK01&from_app=true 

This program is such a joy to use and rarely have I struggled with it, on the rare occasions when I have it has been because I have not read the instruction properly or I have been impatient. 

http://www.daisytrail.com/scrapbook.html?uid=103684&g=42ee9382-2601-11e0-8811-90fba6bf896f&m=FP01U/RUK01&from_app=true 

SERIF CRAFT ARTIST continuing the learning curve

Next step through the manual was about text.  Not just the many different alphabets that come with the digikits but transforming standard text.  Again it took a couple of goes to get the hang of it but the manual is very clear and having managed the photo editing it took less time to get the desired results.  I particularly liked the tool for smoothing a line.  My drawing on a computer is not that wonderful.  I draw a raggedy line press a button a couple of times and have exactly what I want. 
Converting text from being on a straight line to a curve - easy.  I found that I got better results if I put a space between each letter.
http://www.daisytrail.com/scrapbook.html?uid=91200
As I have a birthday coming up it seemed sense to design a card while I was learning.

Today  I brought a needle felting tool so closer to item one on my plan for 2012.