You are My Sunshine

I recently got Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' "Happy Happy" stamp set, with the coordinating dies. I couldn't wait to play with them! As it so happens, their current challenge theme is "Child's Play." I remember, as a child, I liked to play with kites. So what better choice than this kite image, with the clouds and smiling sun?

I decided to use the following sketch from Operation Write Home:

I did enlarge the focal panel by 1/4" both ways, but other than that, stayed true to the design.

I first stamped the images on white cardstock. I used Ranger Archival Jet Black ink for the kite, Colorbox Putty Archival Dye ink for the sun, and Stampabilities Baby Blue dye ink for the clouds. After the ink had a couple minutes to dry, I cut out the elements with the coordinating dies. I colored the sun and kite with Inktense pencils, blending the color with a brush and water.

For the background of the main panel, I wanted a sky look, so I blended Tumbled Glass Distress ink over white cardstock. I laid out my sun & clouds, to determine placement before I glued them down. Finally I adhered them to the panel, letting some parts hang over the edge. I stamped one of the greetings from the set in Jet Black ink, and finally glued the kite in place. I trimmed off the overhanging pieces from the sun and clouds, and stamped the smiley face on the sun, using the Putty dye ink.

To finish the card, I adhered a piece of patterned paper from Fancy Pants' "Park Bench" 6x6" paper pad, to some putty-colored cardstock from my scrap stash. I centered the focal panel onto the background, and adhered it in place. Finally I adhered the front to an A2 card base.

I will be sending this card to Operation Write Home, so hopefully some military hero will be able to send it to his/her child back home!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' Challenge #14: "Child's Play"
Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday "Anything Goes"