The Evolution of a Card & Chalk Pencils

Sometimes when you are trying to make something it just doesn't turn out like you had hoped. That's what happened when I made this card. I took the layout from a card Gwen had made but when I put the scarecrow image on it, it just wasn't right. And, looking at it in retrospect, I think that the main reason that I didn't like it was because of the scarecrow's black nose--which could have easily been changed!

Anyway, since I was trying to work on a card to make at a FUNshop, I tried again. Earlier in the month I had made the "Swirly Seasons" card pictured above for a swap (the dots on the pumpkin have been paper pierced) and I really liked the layout so I decided to see what it would look like with a scarecrow as the main image instead.

I was starting to like the card more but I felt like the first circle that I had stamped with the TAC "Circle Sampler" set and then punched was a little too big for the card so I added a center circle popped up with a pop dot. I still didn't have it quite right. The circles just overwhelmed the card a little too much for the purpose I had in mind. So, I tried again and this is what I ended up with:

As you can see, all of the cards are very similar but by changing just one or two elements, I was able to get it just right. Then, I decided to use the same layout again and use a totally different theme and color scheme and see what the card would look like. This was for an example of how you can take a layout from a card that you previously made and use the layout again to achieve a totally different look. This is a great tip when you are in a hurry and don't have time to design a card from "scratch". Here is how that card turned out:

Just by changing a few elements, like the paper and stamp sets I was able to create a card that had a totally different look and feel to it and it took a lot less time to put together than the other cards that I was trying to design as I went.
The scarecrow and baby cards were all stamped with the "Everyday Events" set from The Angel Company which I just love. The images were colored in using Chalk Pencils. These pencils are a lot of fun to use and give you a very vibrant colored image. They are acid free and archivable and very easy to blend. If you would like to know more about how to use chalk pencils and the different techniques that you can do with them, click here and you will find an article that I wrote telling all about them.
I hope that you enjoyed these cards. Sorry that this entry was so long!! Thanks for sticking with me until the end!