Monday 26 August 2013

Snatching victory from the jaws of disaster

When I explain how this card came to be, you'll understand the title:

I used:

- 5" x 7" white card stock

- plain bauble die by Memory Box 'Classic Ornament', die cut from a lovely rich red sparkly film, self adhesive which was stuck onto a snippet of deep red card before cutting. Memory Box 'Snowflake Ornament', die cut from silver mirri card. The tops of the baubles come with the 'Classic Ornament' die and do add a nice contrast. The bows were cut in silver mirri card using one of the two lovely dies which come in the Memory Box 'Crisp Bows' set

- and this is where disaster struck :( Before adding anything to the cards I'd stamped a Christmas greeting in the bottom right hand corner in SU 'Real Red' - and forgotten to blot and check they were totally dry. To line up the very bottom tips of the baubles I used a ruler held diagonally across the card- and did this on all three of the cards I was batch making. Sigh, you know what's coming - yup, the sentiment smudged on all three cards!

- the smudging was too bad to decently cover with a larger sentiment stamped onto a shaped die cut, it would just have looked 'bodged'. So, I ran round the craft room screaming for a while as there seemed to be no way forward - other than just dump the cards, after such a lot of work had gone into cutting all those dies etc.

- whilst pondering what to do I carefully trimmed the cards diagonally across the bottom of the baubles - which of course left a card which wouldn't stand up, I had already worked that fact out though so at least that didn't come as yet another shock :)

- head in hands, out of the corner of my eye I spotted some of the rich red sparkly self-adhesive film still on the desk - bingo!

- I cut white card backings the same width and just a tad shorter in height as the card fronts (to ensure that the cards would still fold crisply), then added straight bands of the red sparkly film across the bottom of each backing piece

- next, the trickiest part was lining them up properly and to do this I used removable tape runner to temporarily fasten the additional 'front' section to the inside of the back of the card exactly where it ought to be before using ultra strong DST to fasten the new backing to the front of the card

- to be honest I really like the end result and will be doing it again (deliberately!). If you try this one, remember it can be quite hard lining up that additional front portion. One little trick is that so long as the left hand side and the bottom edge are spot on, so that the point on the bottom left meets perfectly, you can always trim/guillotine the right hand side of the card slightly. It's the left hand side that's the most important bit

Think I aged a year or two in the process of this salvage operation though. 

 I was reminded of the most ridiculously incompetent boss on this planet when writing the post title (I secretly nicknamed him Noddy 'cos all that was missing was the hat with a little bell on the end). It was my misfortune to carry him on my back, cover for and rescue work for him for a few years - and how we longed for 'Noddy' to take his many holidays and leave us in peace without wondering what he'd c*ck up next. Apart from once telling him face to face that he couldn't manage his way out of a paper bag (trust me, I do have my limits if someone presses all the wrong buttons) - I also used to say that he could snatch disaster from the jaws of victory, and be frighteningly triumphant about it as well :(

Tomorrow I'll have a Tuesday Tale which illustrates what he was like :)

Di
x

26 comments:

  1. Fantastic save!!!!! I love the way the design turned out and those ornaments are so beautiful. Gorgeous card!!!
    Lynn

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  2. What a lovely card Di and go you for saving it!!! I think I use to work with 'Noddy's' cousin lmaoo huggles Sue xxx

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  3. Way to save your hard efforts and transform a major OOPS! into a gorgeous card! Those ornaments are fantastic with the glittered red corners!! Well done - now just breathe!!

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  4. Gorgeous card Di, fab save too! Will have to remember how you did this. I end up with a lot in the bin and it's such a waste 'cos it's always when I'm putting the finishing touches on grrr. Have a lovely Bank Holiday Monday Karen x

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  5. A grand save. Looks beautiful. Now I need another memory die as well as Hettie's candles!
    p.s. Think I used to work with your bosses two sons Twat and Twonk. Drove me nuts they did.
    Hugs Mrs A.

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  6. Stunning ornaments Di, love the silver & red combo. Brilliant save too, really makes for a gorgeous design :) Cathy x

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  7. Totally awesome save - this is just wonderful, so elegant and who would know eh ?!!! Seeing this you'd think it was your original plan :-D

    Hugz
    IKE xxxxxxx

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  8. What a save. Your card is a beauty. I love that die. I'm glad you were able to make a classy card from a big oops!

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  9. I forgot to add, I had a Noddy too, mine I named Ya Ya.... Luckily, he was a sweet man but he was clueless. I had another boss who was very cruel. We named him AH. One of the girls made cloth dolls for each of us. We all named them AH. Whenever AH would do something awful, we'd pull out our dolls and might I add, stick pins into them. Want to guess where the pins were placed!

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  10. Fabulous Di, just looks like it was meant to be that way but good to know I'm not the only one grabbing the claws of disaster! Lol. Your noddy tales do make me smile and I find myself wondering if he follows your blog and recognises himself at all! Have a fun day. X

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  11. Well salvaged DI. They look fabulous! Kate xx

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  12. Simply delightful card - well done on "rescuing" it!

    Think we've all had our own NODDY at some point - some I've even told!!! (not blessed with your patience)

    Thanks for your comment about my missing stamps - haven't taken the drawer out yet. I once lost some magnetic stamps (Rubbadubbadoo) for MONTHS and found the (quite by accident) clinging for dear life to the BOTTOM of the metal drawers I used to keep them in!!! I felt such a plonker!

    Happy Monday

    Kathyk

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  13. Fantastic save - it looks great.

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  14. Hi Di . . . what a GREAT SAVE. Sorry you aged a couple of years in the process. I have a wonderful picture in my head of you pulling your hair and running screaming around the room! Giggle!

    Hugs
    Sarn xxx

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  15. That is such a lovely card, and no-one would have known the potential disaster you recovered it from. I bet the deliberate ones will be much harder to do. xx Maggie

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  16. This is truly a "beauty from ashes" card! So elegant with that deep red and shiny trim! LOL, I think I had a boss related to yours. It was such a relief when he retired!

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  17. How brilliant and patient are you, this is fabulous and no-one would have known.
    I used to love Guy Mitchell, found it funny. Thanks.

    Kath x

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  18. Great save Miss! Love this card.
    I have to say I am SHOCKED at Mary's comment!!!! I thought she was such a sweet Playmate too!!!
    Personally, I would not have told anyone about the c*ck up!!
    Tee Hee
    xx

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  19. Wow Di, what gorgeous baubles your card is amazing and is that 71 you have made you have been busy xx

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  20. Stunning card, Di, and if you hadn't confessed to your disaster, nobody would have guessed. I love the baubles and the bows are fab and that film, don't think I've ever seen it anywhere else, is beautifully festive. Off to read about Noddy now :) Hugs, Elizabeth xx

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  21. Great job saving this card. Love the way it looks .. very festive. And, Noddy? I am intrigued! :-)
    xxx Asha
    Sunny Summer Crafts

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  22. Great save on the card. I'm afraid I would have been weeping so much I'd have made the cards soggy with tears.

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  23. Brilliantly rescued Di, I love how this turned out! Just gorgeous!
    xx

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  24. This card HAD to be saved, Di! It is genius how you turned disaster into a "happy accident" with the end result being a unique design that no one would guess had a difficult birth! It is pinned and in my CASE folder!! Well done!! Hugs, Darnell

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  25. A stunning save! Makes me blush when I'm recounting my 'snatched pieces'. This is so gorgeous, love all the white & sparkles, and you clever girl, you - to come up with such an artistic design from a flawed stamping. Most unique & I may CASE it one of these days. I tend to panic and react too fast. TFS & Hugs. Hope the pkg has arrived by now.

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