Dem Flannel Lookin' Cards

Ok, before you guys jump all over me about how these cards are not "that bad" and "great guy cards", let's just pretend that you are me for a moment, k? I had a vision. I had a picture in my head. Only, my picture was blurry. I could see the stamp clearly. Everything else, not so much. This was the stamp. I love this stamp. When I go to Michael's, I basically walk in the door with very low expectations, because our Michael's never has new stuff. They have had the same original Cuttlebug embossing folders since the Cuttlebug came out. And that's pretty much it. And the Cuttlebug has been out for what, 10 years now? What's that you say? It's only been 3 years? Huh. Ok. Well, they haven't had any new ones in, like, two years then. That's not a good thing. So anyway, I was moseying with no particular purpose down the stamp aisle and saw this stamp. It's almost like a stamp collage I sometimes put together for my cards. Only it's already done for you! I love that. So I got it. And had big plans to use it. Yeah, I had plans. But somewhere along the way, I got sidetracked. Lost, if you will. I'm just not sure what happened. The main focus was there and the background was nonexistent. What should I do, what should I do? I'll make a background. Mmmhmm. Exhibit A.

And I liked it. I did. And do. It's not as jazzy (i know. hip lingo, eh?) as I had in mind, but it looks like it's for a guy, right? Right. So, I'm taking my double line strip stamp and stamping out my background. Oh, yeah. Look who's doin' it. And I get to the very last one and missed. I thought I could line it up. I was wrong. It totally smudged. Which I totally thought added to the ruggedness of the card (just go with me, people). I thought (and this is totally selfish on my part) "good enough, he'll never notice", put it together and sent it on its merry way. Ok, if it were for someone who was gonna really look at it and analyze it and love it to pieces {mom} I woulda totally done it over. But it wasn't. Plus, I was really trying to work on my tendency to make everything perfect. You people are the ones telling me I'm too hard on myself and to relax. This is me relaxing. Good enough.

Alrighty, here we have exhibit B. I figured this time I would just skip the whole "let's make a background!" insanity and use some handy dandy patterned paper. And again, I like it. I kept them both simple and masculine. The problem is, I make these cards and take pictures of them and then look at them next to pictures of my pretty, pink, nonflannel, sleeping bag reminiscent cards and go "ugh". So, to clarify, I do not hate these cards. I just mentioned them and you silly people asked to see them. That'll teach ya.

On a final note, I just had to touch on Michael Jackson's passing. I was shocked to hear this news, which came across as I was writing this post. He was such a huge part of my growing up. Who didn't record (on a vcr!) the video for "Thriller" when it came out? And then play it over & over until you knew all the moves? I still know that video by heart. I remember a friend I had in high school who was obsessed (and I mean obsessed!) with Michael Jackson. The day the video for "Bad" came out, we left school and went around the corner to my house (i'm sure it was lunch time, mom!) to watch it. He was soooo excited. Michael Jackson was such a big influence on so many people. No matter what he went through in his later years, he was a musical genius and an amazing entertainer and I hope to remember him like that.

Stamps: Make a Wish Message (Hero Arts), Faux Ribbon (PTI), Ink: Soft Suede (SU!), Versamark, Paper: Vintage Cream (PTI), Soft Suede, Baja Breeze & Parisian Breeze DSP (SU!)