Miss You

Catch the Bug Challenge Blog is having their "Stella Says Sketch #304" challenge this week. This is the sketch for this challenge:

For the focal image on my card, I chose the "Theodore Hot Air Balloon" by Bugaboo Stamps. I figured this would make a cute kid's card to send to Operation Write Home. I also chose a greeting from Doodle Pantry's "Missing You" set. I've had this digital set for a long time now, and just rarely think to use it for some reason. I've decided I really need to make a more concerted effort to use my digital images & stamps!

I chose the striped patterned paper from Simple Stories' "Vintage Bliss," and the butterfly pattern from Basic Grey's "Hey Girl" 6x6" pads. To determine the sizes of my panels, I created a blank canvas in Photoshop the size of a landscape-oriented A2 card. I played around with different size blocks, until I found a size that would comfortably hold my focal image, and work with the patterned paper layers. I cut a piece of Strathmore Mixed Media Paper for the focal panel, and printed the bear directly onto that. I also printed the greeting on Mixed Media Paper, and die cut that with a Spellbinders "Standard Circles LG" die.

To color my image, I used my Inktense pencils and a damp paintbrush, and watercolor to paint the sky. After cutting my patterned paper panels, I tacked down the striped pieces to my pink cardstock background with my ATG gun, then machine-stitched around the edges of those. I did likewise with the butterfly paper. Well, sort of. My sewing machine started not working right after stitching down one side of one butterfly panel. So finishing the machine stitching was not an option at that point. I could have started over, but decided to hand-stitch the rest instead. So I measured & poked holes along the remaining sides every 3 millimeters to create a zigzag pattern, then used the same sewing thread to stitch the remaining panels. It took a lot longer, but I think the added texture was worth it. And, of course, my machine started working again afterwards!

To finish the card, I inked the edges of the greeting die cut with Peacock Feathers Distress ink, and glued it in place. Then I adhered the completed card front to a white A2 card base. Hopefully one of our overseas military heroes will send it home to his/her daughter, to let her know she's loved and missed!

I'm also entering this card in Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: "Special Lady/Girly."