Card Design: Digi Darla's Challenge #48

Earlier this week I announced that I am now part of the Darla's Digital Stamp Club Design Team working with the awesome Digi Darla Designs.  Well, it is time for my very first official challenge post with this amazing group of designers.

This week for Challenge #48 we want to see projects representing Your Style.  

This week one person will be the lucky winner of FIVE Digi Darla (DD) images!

AND any entries using a DD image get entered into a SECOND drawing for 3 images. So, you could technically win 8 images! How awesome is that?!!!   

As I mentioned, the theme is to show a project that reflects your own personal style.  Well, I tell you this theme was certainly a 'challenge'! {tongue firmly implanted in cheek}  So, I've decided to combine foci today by combining my first challenge with Digi Darla's and my regular Motivational Monday post.  Now you may be wondering, what does this challenge have to do with motivation?  Well, I'll you!  This challenge motivated me to sit down with pen to paper and REALLY reflect on who I am as a creator and designer.  Not an easy task, I'll tell you. It was extremely difficult to put a finger on what my personal style is. I tend to be all over the place. I'm interested in everything from soft and subtle to bold and brass; from winsome and willowy to wacky and wild! I like the look of clean and simple but I also like things that are layered and involved. I like to be unique. I try my best to not just be part of the crowd. It is important for me to put my own unique 'stamp' on things {tongue firmly implanted in other side of cheek} with everything I do. So, how do I boil that down into a single card design? Boy it wasn't easy!!! The best way I can summarize it is to say I'm eclectic and quirky, prefer to move to the beat of my own drum and have a soft and gooey centre. 

This is the front of the card I have chosen to showcase:

 ...and here is the inside:

Here are the card details, I hope I haven't forgotten anything...

• General Comments: First off, I need to apologize in a big way for the quality of these two images.  While you would never know it from looking at the front of the card, the heart shaped love text on the white paper is actually raised about 1/4 inch up off of the gold shimmer below.  Any time I add texture that raises a feature of a card, I am no longer able to scan it without parts of the image appearing blurry.  So, I had to resort to using our camera.  Unfortunately, our camera is not very good and doesn't take close ups.  So, while this card looks much better in real life, it does not translate well to a photograph.  We are trying to save up for a new camera but I'm afraid that is going to take a little while.  So please accept my apologies for an inferior depiction.  I am so sorry Kim that I wasn't able to show off your digital images in the manner that they deserve. 
• Digi-Image:The beautiful image I got to play with this week was Digi Darla's-Love Heart 1.  It was printed onto Recollection's Cardstock White Paper and then coloured in using a gold pen.  This is a really unique image that represents the quirky part of my style. 
• Sentiment:  The sentiment is Digi Darla's World of Beauty.  It was also printed onto Recollection's Cardstock White Paper. The sentiment and overall design of the card represent the soft, gooey romantic side of my style.
• Paper:  The white paper used for the card base is the same paper mentioned above.  The solid gold coloured paper used in behind the image on the front and behind the sentiment on the inside is Michael's open stock scrapbook paper.
• Ribbon & Lace:  I did something I've never done before with this card.  For both the front and inside I cut a piece of white cardstock the same size as the card.  I then took some rather wide lace and covered the front of both of these panels.  The lace has such a nice iridescent fleck to it and really adds something to the overall look of the design.  I then put a sheer white ribbon edged in gold along the bottom of the front panel and then added a slightly narrower solid white satin ribbon with little gold hearts on it.  To finish it all off I added a little shimmery gold bow.  Now I just have to hope that it all stays together.  I never realized how difficult it is to stick anything to lace!  Said lace and both ribbons are from Dollarama.   I have no idea where the ribbon for the little gold bow came from as it was something in my momma's stash that she handed over to me.  The card displays an odd assortment of embellishments that reflects my eclectic style. 
• Card Versatility:  I do love the versatility of this card.  It could suit my purposes for any occasion of a romantic nature.  I could use it for a Valentines day card, an anniversary card, a wedding card or just to say 'I love you'.  I'll just have to put it away and see which occasion I end up using it for.  Thankfully, it also offers for the same range of card themes to enter into.

Challenges I hope to enter include:

• Make It Monday -- MIM #126:  Anything Goes (always)
• Challenges For Everybody --  Challenge #13:  Anything Goes
• Fat Pages and Cards with Attitude -- Challenge 32:  Love
• Word Art Wednesday -- Challenge #65:  Anything Goes
• Bunny Zoe's Crafts -- Anything Goes
• Love To Create Challenge -- Challenge 51: Celebrate
• My Grafico Crafts -- Challenge #144:  Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations Paint -- Anything Goes
• Avenue 613 -- Challenge #4:  Anything Goes/Love
• Fashionista Challenge -- Valentine's Theme
• Crafty Ribbons Challenge -- Challenge #38:  Anthing Goes with a Ribbon
• Forever Friends Challenge Blog -- Challenge #54:  Use Ribbon or Lace
• ATC's With Attitude -- Challenge #32:  Ribbons/Lace
• Crafter's Digital Art Centre --  Anthing Goes 
• Crafty Blogger's Network -- Challenge #8:  Anything Goes
• Pin & Tack--Spark Your Creatitivity Now Challenge -- Challenge #6:  Anything Goes
•  Digi Haven -- Love/Valentine Challenge
• Great Impressions Stamps -- February Challenge:  Have a Heart
• The Stamping Chef -- Love Challenge
• The Stamping Shack -- Love is in the Air 

Some more challenges may be added to this list throughout the week or month. 

Getting back to the Motivational part of this post, have you ever been motivated to figure out the style that defines you?  Do you fit inside the box or out of it?  Do you colour within the lines or outside of them?  Maybe by figuring out who we are as artists we'll be better equipped to find our niche.  Here is a quote for you to reflect on.  In the wise words of Sebastian the crab from "The Little Mermaid" (tm):

I am also offering the quote in three separate parts in case you decide to use it on a card.  I've reduced the size below just for the sake of space within this post.  If you do use it in separate pieces PLEASE ensure that you include the quote's author.

 

 

As I've now added to my comment section, thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog and to write me a little note.  Whether you are a regular, here for the first time or popping over in your official capacity as a DT member, please know how much I appreciate the words that you leave behind.  Your encouragement helps me to become a better designer.   I try my best to reply to your comments (when an email address is available) but that is getting more and more difficult as my plate fills up with new responsibilities, new roles, and new obligations.  If I don't get the opportunity to thank you personally, know that I don't take a single comment for granted. Thank you for your understanding.

On a final note, please come and join us over at Digi Darla's Challenges.  We'd love to see what your own personal style is.  While you are there, please check out the wonderful cards from my colleagues on the DT.  We look forward to seeing your entries for this challenge!   

Until next time,

  

Note: I apologize if there are any formatting issues.  This is a scheduled post and we all know Blogger has a mind of it's own.  If it turns out that something looks wonky, I'll fix it as soon as I'm able to.

Fonts Used: 

• Amatic
• Black Jack  

Click the font names to take you to a download location.  Both these fonts are considered free for commercial use,

If you are not sure how to copy the image, check out the download instructions page.  
 
Please be sure to read the Angel policy found under the copyright info tab above.  Below is a quick summary of those Terms of Use:    

• Do not claim the image as your own.
• Credit 'Decosse's Dynamite Doodles' somewhere on your creation.  
• Do not share my images with family, friends, etc.  Additionally, do not post any images to file sharing services like Box®, 4-Shared®, etc.  Instead, please direct people to my blog so they can grab the image for themselves.
• If I have signed an image, do not delete my signature.
• Leave a comment on my blog.  It is currently the only way for me to know if any of my freebies are being nabbed.  Additionally, it will help to inspire me to continue to create and offer future freebies.