Owl-ways Thinking About You

A Blog Named Hero's current challenge is "Masking." While I have done this technique in the past, I don't often use it to create a one-layer card. But I decided to up the challenge for myself, and create a one-layer card with masking. I almost succeeded!

I started by die cutting the branch from masking paper, using Impression Obsession's "Bare Branch" die. I placed the mask on a piece of white cardstock I'd cut to 4.25x5.5". One key to masking with multiple objects is to mask what you want in the front first, then work your way back. For some reason, this always seems backwards to me, but it really does work. I realized after I put the branch mask down, that I had forgotten this fact, since I needed to mask the owl (from Hero Arts' "Missing You" stamp set) first. So I carefully peeled up the mask. Unfortunately, because of the intricate aspect of the die cut portion, the mask curled up too much for me to reuse. So I started over, cutting a new mask. This time, I first marked where I wanted the owl on the card front, and stamped him. I also stamped him on a sticky note, and fussy cut him before applying that mask over where I'd stamped him on the card panel. THEN I placed the branch mask on the panel.

I applied some painters tape around the mask, just to make sure I didn't get any ink where I didn't want it. Then I inked the branch with Gathered Twigs Distress ink. I peeled off the tape and branch mask, leaving the owl mask in place. I then placed the positive die cut mask of the branch over where I'd inked. I inked the sky (from bottom to top) with Distress inks in Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire, and a touch of Black Soot. Finally, I taped down the "Falling Stars" stencil by Simon Says Stamp over my panel, and applied Ranger's Texture Paste over it. Then I set that aside to dry for a few hours.

The paste had dried by the time I came back to my card. I peeled up the masks, and realized that I'd inadvertently placed the positive branch mask slightly offset, so there was a white line along many of the branches. I panicked for a second, thinking I'd have to start all over. But then I decided to try using a colored pencil to fill in the white lines. And it worked pretty well! I also used colored pencils and Gamsol on a paper stump to color in the owl.

I had realized after I'd applied the texture paste that I'd forgotten to leave room for a greeting. Again, I was determined not to scrap the whole project. So I stamped the greeting, from the same Hero Arts set, on a piece of beige cardstock, and heat embossed it with Ranger's Super Fine Detail White embossing powder. Then I inked over that with Gathered Twigs to darken it up a little and tie it in with the branch color. Finally, I rounded the top right corner with my 1/4" Corner Chomper, and glued it in place. (That's why it's only ALMOST a one-layer card.) I adhered my card panel to an A2 card base, applied some Glossy Accents to the owl's eyes, and this card was finished! I will be sending this on to Operation Write Home.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Monday "No Rules"
Operation Write Home February Our Daily Bread Designs: "Animals"
Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday "Anything Goes"
a2z Scrapbooking's February challenge: "Embossing"