SheetLoad of cards for August 2021

I've been meaning to buy oval nesting dies...

Thank you! I was able to use 25SAVEAUGUST and got them for pickup for about $12 incl tax. I've had them on my scrapbook dot com wishlist for months but they're about $25 plus shipping there.  

I might actually do this one. I played around with papers yesterday, but so far I haven’t found a combination of papers and colors that I really like. Considering the size of my stash, I don’t know why I am having so many issues with it. It shouldn’t be that hard. Key word is “shouldn’t.” I am not really a sketch person. I know that many paper crafters love them, but I find it easier to design my own layouts and cards from scratch for some reason.

I plan to try. We’ll see if I manage to find a good paper combination. I’ve wasted several sheets of paper so far by cutting papers that looked good together uncut, but put together based on the sketch somehow turned out disappointing. Hopefully I can find a way to use those pieces on other cards.

Agreed - I wish she had used an image or maybe a floral die cut or something else that suits the oval frame. I don’t really like the scribble anyway, and she’s used it before, but mostly it’s just not suited as a focal image IMO. I’m playing around with one card to see how I like the sketch and so far I’m thinking I will extend the back piece closer to the edges, I may skip the matting layers, and I’m playing with some little Lawn Fawn cactus pieces I had stamped and die cut ages ago. They look really cute in the oval so far. 

@scrapnana nice! Love the lantern being the focal point and playing nice with the camping gear. Especially love the matches! lol Dumb question - the beige and brown is matting behind the center piece and the two “wings?”

What did you figure out?

Thank you, CardBoxer and azcrafty.

Not a dumb question. I should have edited out the brown edge. The light beige is the card base. The brown edge around it is a sheet of brown cardstock that I placed the card on to take the photo. The card base just blended completely into the plastic table (same color and slightly speckled, just like the beige card stock), so I put the brown card stock under it to help it show up. However, it might have looked nice to have a brown thin mat under the beige. 

What I figured out (that I’d been doing wrong) was that the previous papers (beach themed) which I had chosen, cut up, and wasted, all had patterns that were too big for the sizes of rectangles being cut. The patterns competed with each other instead of complimenting each other, and not enough of the details showed. They were too busy when put together.

It worked much better to have one of the patterns be more simple and subtle. I considered using a mountain range pattern with the camping paper, but again, the two competed for attention. The blue diagonal stripes were the B side of the camping paper and looked so much better….quieter, instead of demanding a divided attention. The camping pattern also had more items in the pattern and provided more colors to choose from to tie in solid colors for the card stock choices than the beach papers I had originally wanted to use.

I just finished 24 Sheetload cards for Aug. They are b-day cards so I may use them for the 2peas birthdays. I don't think I will post them until I decide if I want to use them for other Peas.

I didn't particularly like this design because of the wonky scribble in the center. After trying a few center inserts, I went with flowers. I think it's the first time I have used my oval dies that I bought many years ago. I like it a lot better now.

scrapnnana, your camping card is adorable.  I love, love, love that lantern.

azcrafty , those cards are perfect for crafters. Totally cute. I moved my center piece over to one side or the other to allow some of the pattern to show. I really like your smaller mat. That really makes a difference. I think I will try that next time. Thanks for sharing your cute cards.

joblackford , I love those cacti! You have love in your gallery.

When I saw the sketch download I wasn't a fan but the responses by craftyal's team helped a lot. I realized I liked the portrait presentation better than the landscape. And that the cardstock base needs to really fade into the background.

scrapnnana so cute, the lantern, the tiny matches, the busy paper behind, the stripes under the lantern. I love your customizations.

joblackford I see that you also liked a taller card. Your cute cacti bring a smile.

azcrafty I love how your palette die cuts use up the oval, balanced with the sentiment. I like them a lot.

MARIBETHR so pretty. The delicate colors really work.

Here is my sheetload:

Holy macaroni, stepped away from this thread for a couple days and all the wows happen.

joblackford love your cute patoot cacti - they made me laugh, and the scale combo of checks with flowers background is spot on.

azcrafty I’d take one (or steal it when you weren’t looking) for my birthday in the birthday club or for any reason.

MARIBETHR your color combo is so pretty and everything harmonizes so well, plus love the gold around the focal point.

And you all have such neat focal points, which was missing in the original!

I have to feed Theo Cat or would go on longer.

Thank you, I actually like the original focal point and was wishing I had that die, but it seems like the general consensus is that people didn't really like the focal point.  Well guess I am glad I didn't rush out an purchase the die just to do the card - LOL.