Dad...My Guide, My Compass

Hey there! Thanks for joining us for our second reveal of our 2011 Father's Day card designs. When designing our line, we gave serious thought to what we wanted each card design to represent. We wanted each of them to be more than just a card that goes in a drawer. We wanted each one to speak to its recipient and convey a special message from each cardgiver.

Today's card speaks to the stalwart. Not only is this dad dependable and steadfast but he is an ever-present compass and moral guide on his child's journey of life. We felt like the Viva la Verve sketch from Week 3 really reinforced this simple yet effective message. We took a few liberties with the sketch, but if you study the card, you will see that each element is firmly in place - just not in the form that you may have expected. Simple but oh-so effective! Wouldn't you say? The color scheme is one of our tried and true masculine favorites. What better way to reinforce dependable and steadfast than with a favorite color scheme? I love the effect of the white craft ink on the chocolate - aged, worn, like dad's favorite shirt.

What do you think? Have we achieved what we set out to convey in our design?

Thanks for stopping by!

Steadfast and True...Dad

Well, yesterday's little soap elicited some responses from you, dear readers. And honestly, I'm quite glad for that. Sometimes one wonders if there's any validity to the ideas that go floating across the ol' noggin. So it's nice to get some commentary.

As I mentioned, when Whitney and I designed this year's line of Father's Day cards, we really gave each some serious thought. We wanted them to speak, not only to the cardgiver, but also to each intended recipient.

Today's card design speaks to all of those dads we see as the mighty oaks of the family. They are steadfast, true, strong, an ever-present shelter in both fair and foul weather. This week's Color Splash Challenge over at The Playdate Cafe was absolutely perfect for this card, particularly since we were able to use a neutral, like kraft. The splash of green is perfect for our sheltering tree. The sketch is straight from Saturday's Sweet Stop Sketch. Turn it on its side and *voila* the perfect design!

Thanks for dropping by today. We hope that you've enjoyed the second of three Father's Day card designs!

Faithful, Dependable, Comfortable ... Dad

Hey, everyone! Are you enjoying your holiday weekend? I heard an interesting observation about Memorial Day that really made me stop and think. So often we take the true meaning of the holiday for granted and merely view it as a means to a long weekend when instead we should be both remembering and celebrating those who have believed that "some things really are worth fighting for." So thank you to the fathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, cousins, and friends who have believed and still believe that this great nation and its ideals are worth fighting for!

Oddly enough, this same notion made me reflect upon Father's Day. I know you may be thinking: Susan, you've rocked OUT of your rocker! But follow me for a second. So often we become desensitized to the meaning behind a holiday and merely focus on the celebration itself. Don't get me wrong, celebrating is important. But I think that consumerism has led us away from true intent. So in designing our Father's Day cards, we asked ourselves: what does Father's Day really mean; what messages do we want our cards to convey?

Today's card is for those fathers who we view as great protectors with soft hearts and comfy hugs. They're much like their favorite chair - faithful, dependable, trustworthy, comfortable, comforting, safe. That's why we chose a stamp from On My Couch (Papertrey Ink) as our focal image. It truly wrapped up this message in one convenient package. Our masculine color scheme and eye-catching addition of text is from this week's Embellish Color Trends Challenge. I really loved how the soft color palette reinforced the feelings of calm, comfort, and serenity that so many of us think of when describing our dads. The CAS layout is straight from the Viva La Verve Sketch May Week 1. The sketch was ideal in its simplicity, which really allows the image and imagery to take center stage.

When all was said and done, both Whitney and I stood back and gave ourselves big ol' pats on the back for how well this design was formed and executed. I'd like to tell you it's my favorite design of all of our 2011 Father's Day card designs, but let me tell you, when you see some of the others, you'll see why I'm not so quick to commit! But this one ranks right at the top for sure!

Thanks for dropping in today - I hope my little step up on the holiday soap box doesn't scare you away from the other terrific designs we have to share with you!

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A big THANK YOU to Paige for choosing this card as 1 of 26 featured in the Create: Blog! Father's Day Challenge. If you've come here from the Create: Blog, welcome! And thanks for stopping by.