Sunday, November 16, 2014

A-Muse-ing Christmas

I found this really cool challenge blog called Muse, which gives one card per week to inspire other designs. The unique part is that at the end of the week your fellow designers get to vote on who takes the top honors. I really wanted to participate and was excited to see the next Muse inspiration card. 


Then I saw this:


Gulp - Don't get me wrong, I think Therese's card is absolutely brilliant. It's full of sparkly goodness and whimsical Christmas cheer. The problem is - it's so clean and I am so TERRIBLE at clean. That's right. I said it. I'm a dirty kind of girl. ;) 

I was going to just skip this week and participate next week but then I checked myself before I wrecked myself. Why wouldn't I take on something that was challenging for me? So I set out to do clean - Becca style.


Since I couldn't really distress, it meant adding lots of texture. I started by cutting the foundation of my "tree" out of some thin cork ribbon:



Next, I looked around for something to add texture. As I was wandering the clearance aisles of Hobby Lobby this week and drooling, I found these really cool things made by Stampendous called Frantage color fragments. They are almost like the texture of little paint chips. I put glue all over the cork, and added the chips, giving it a little ombre down at the bottom.

  
I glued that to some white cardstock, added some colorful embellishments, and stamped my sentiment and voila! 

I'm not about to make this my new design aesthetic, and am so JEALOUS of those talented designers who can pull it off with ease. It looks easy, but to make something seem that effortless is HARD! I have to say, though, I'm loving the texture of this rad tree.

So I'm sending it over to the Muse Challenge and to Just Add Ink's - Just Add Texture challenge. 

Thanks for stopping by! Follow my blog and leave me a comment and I'll be sure to return the favor!


29 comments:

  1. This is absolutely stunning! So creative (and not 'clean') but still clearly inspired by Therese's Muse. There's no need to use the same style at Muse - however you're inspired is great with us! I'm so glad you found us and I look forward to seeing you play again soon!

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  2. Love your take Becca, your frantaged tree looks wonderful. Carol x

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  3. Sweet card Becca. Love the great textures you added.

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  4. Lovely card Becca, love those bits that add such great texture. Great take on the inspiration.

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  5. Love it, Becca, and I think you CAN do clean! Love your version!

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  6. what fantastic tree - love how you created it!

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  7. Cool way to use Frantage! Love your pretty, pretty card!
    Lynn

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  8. Absolutely brilliant, Becca! You are one talented, creative gal!

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  9. Wow, Becca, this is REALLY cool! LOVE the little "paint chips"! Thanks for joining in the fun at Just Add Ink this week; your card has awesome texture.

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  10. I think you can do ANY style you put your mind to doing, Becca! This is a fabulous clean and simple card and the texture is wonderful. Looks like a winner to me. :-)

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  11. fabulous card Becca. The texture is fabulous.

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  12. Your post totally made me laugh out loud and your card is so fabulously CAS, how wonderful!

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  13. Well I like it, Becca. Very tactile and an inspired bit of crafting. LOVE it. BTW, I'm terrible at cleaning too! :)
    hugs, Asha

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  14. WOW Becca it looks beautiful ...I love your writing style...it makes me smile
    Cheers
    Dr Sonia
    Cards Crafts Kids Projects

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  15. Becca, it is good to do something outside of your comfort zone. Love the texture on your tree and your card is very nice!

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  16. Fab, Becca!! Your card is gorgeous! Very opulent and vintagey! :) XOXO-Shari

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  17. You dirty girl:) Who likes clean?? :) Love your tree and thinking outside the box-great idea

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  18. how pretty!!! just LOVE your layered tree with bling!!!! super cute!!!

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  19. Brilliant... AMAZING! FANTASTIC... Drooling... Are you getting the idea that I LOVE THIS?!? I too SUCK at CAS cards but now I want to go try this one.... TFS!!

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  20. I agree that CAS can be REALLY difficult at times and I want to give up, but I keep learning at it and I'm beginning to see that I can make it my own"CAS" and not always follow the rules. I also think everyone has their own definition of what CAS means to them. I think you did perfect at finding your own CAS style here and the result is amazing!! I voted for your card there BTW!! :) Wishing you luck! HUGS

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  21. you are so sweet "clean - Becca style" yihaaaa
    I know you are not too CAS lady
    you like to use distress ink make vintage card and put many element like mixed media card..
    Making CAS is maybe only for a mother like me who has two naughty children and only have time from 21.22 Oclock in the night to finished a card LOL..
    Also I adore the texture too Becca...and great crock idea...
    I love the CAS BECCA STYLE (SMILE)

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  22. What a cool idea Becca, you texture chip tree look fabulous

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  23. Becca this was such a great way to add texture and keep it CAS! Love the almost leafy effect - and of course it wouldn't be Christmas without some bling too :) Thanks for joining us at Just Add Ink this week.

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  24. omg! first: the card is amazing! looking at this, NOBODY would know that you are not the queen of clean instead of the damsel of distressed! other than that, i am LMAO b/c i could have WRITTEN this whole post! CAS is sooooooooooo much harder than layery and complicated, but yeah, the point of CHALLENGES is to stretch!!! :) well done, missus, you are ROCKING all the crafty styles imaginable! <3

    (ps: i assume "frantage" is the french word for "YOWZA!)

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  25. Hi Becca. Absolute love your Rad Tree. I also struggle with Clean and Simple and think you did a fantastic job on your card. I just stopped by to say hi and nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you on the Eclectic Ellapu TD in the months to come and have become a follower of your blog through Google and Bloglovin' and also look forward to visiting again.
    :) Chris / CS Designs

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  26. AHHHHH this is amazing!!! I have some Frantage EP - are these colour fragments melty, or just use them like glitter? I feel like I neeeeed them. I love the cork base, and it may not be your *thing* but you rocked it!!

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    1. I don't think they are melty... but they could be. Or they might just be burny... There's only one way to find out... ;)

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