You Can Lean on Me

Send a Smile 4 Kids posts a new challenge on their blog twice a month. The current theme is "Cute Fall/Halloween Card 4 Kids." I recently got these digital images from Doodle Pantry, and thought they'd be perfect for this challenge.

I first die cut & embossed an oval from watercolor paper using a Spellbinders Grand Ovals Nestabilities die. I scanned this into my computer, to get the sizing and placement of the image & greeting right. Once I'd decided where I wanted the elements, I printed them out onto the die cut oval. I colored the scarecrow & little birdie with Inktense pencils, using a fine paintbrush and water to blend the colors. I also pressed some Tumbled Glass Distress ink onto an acrylic block, and used a larger wet brush to color in the background with a soft, light blue wash.

For the card base, I cut 2 pieces of white cardstock using a Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Ovals die. I scored a line a bit from one long "edge" of each, and glued the ovals together above that score line, to create my card base. I also die cut & embossed another scalloped oval from a piece of green Core'dinations cardstock from my scrap stash. I glued that onto the front of the card base.

Finally, I glued the focal panel onto the card front. I felt the spot to the scarecrow's right was a bit bare, so I used a leaf punch by Marvy Uchida that I've had for years to punch some leaves out of white cardstock. Then I used my Ranger Mini Ink Blending Tool and some Rusty Hinge & Wild Honey Distress inks to color the leaves. By pouncing the inked blending tool on the punched-out leaves, I was able to get not only color but a bit of visual texture as well. I finished the card by gluing a few of the leaves cascading down from the greeting, and another two onto the scarecrow's shoulder.