Handmade greeting card gone awry?

Do you ever have an idea for a handmade greeting card and not end up quite with what you expected?  My handmade thank you card sure did.

I wanted to make a special thank you card.   My card design started with the idea of using the pine bough from the Stampin' Up! Autumn Days stamp set.   Because the card recipient had recently discovered and loving embossing, I decided to incorporate heat embossing in my card.   With the stamp set and technique decided, off to card making I went.

The first step was to emboss the pine bough with Clear Embossing Powder on Ivory Naturals Card Stock.  The Ivory Naturals Card Stock has little black specks.  My card was already off to a back-to-nature feeling. 

Using the 2-1/2" Circle Punch, I punched out the embossed pine bough.  The clear embossed image was far from exciting until I started adding color with Sponge Daubers.  The first area to receive some sponged color was the pine cones.  They were sponged with Soft Suede Classic Ink.  Wow, does the sponged color make the embossed image pop out!  This technique is called embossing resist because the embossed image resists the dye ink.  This leaves the embossed area the color of the card stock surrounded by the sponged color of your choice.

Then it was time to sponge the pine needles with Garden Green Classic Ink.  I finished sponging the circle with Soft Suede around the edge.

Great.  I have an embossed pine bough in a circle.   Now what?  I previously had made a stamped Christmas card with the pine bough stamp and wanted to come up with a different layout or card template.  

Why not keep going with a theme of circles?  I punched more 2-1/2" circles and some 1-3/4" circles.  Played around with putting them on the card in different orientations.  Here's my final card.

Well, it certainly isn't a repeat of my other card.  While I still like the idea, the card just doesn't look like a Shelly card.   What do you think?  Would I like the card template better with a cutesy stamped image?

If it is supposed to be the thought, there was most definitely thought behind this card.  Probably should have kept thinking . . .  

I've got it!  We'll blame my husband.  He said it was pretty.  But, let's not be too harsh in his taste.  He did pick me for his wife. 

Regardless if we like the handmade greeting card or not, the Stampin' Up! Autumn Days stamp set is very pretty.  If you'd like to purchase the set to stamp some pretty cards, scrapbook pages or home decor items, you can purchase it in my online store now. 

When you order online from Stamping Smiles, you enter into the Stamping Smiles Online Ordering Oasis!  After only 3 orders of $25 or more, you earn FREE shipping on the fourth order!  It is that easy.  No punch cards.  You don't have to wait until you spend hundreds of $$$ to earn your FREE shipping reward.   Just place your 4th order within one year of the first. 

Life is complicated enough, ordering the best stamping and scrapbooking supplies available should not be.  It isn't with the Stamping Smiles Online Ordering Oasis rewards program.  Enter into the oasis now with your first order on www.stampinsmiles.stampinup.net!

Send a picture of your handmade greeting card made with the Autumn Days stamp set.