Nuts About You

a2z Scrapbooking's current challenge is "Color It In." I love this cute little squirrel in Hero Arts' "Missing You" stamp set, and the accompanying greeting. So I created this card for their challenge.

For my card design, I chose Operation Write Home's Sketch #184:

I began by die cutting and embossing a circle from white cardstock with one of Spellbinders' "Standard Circles SM" dies. Then I positioned the squirrel on an acrylic block. I positioned the greeting at the same time, curving it to match the curve of the circle. Then I stamped those using Versafine Onyx Black ink. While the ink dried, I worked on the rest of the card.

I chose the patterned paper pieces from scraps on my desk, left over from other cards. I cut & adhered all the pieces, according to the sketch, to a piece of kraft cardstock that I'd cut to 4.25x5.5". By the time I finished that, the ink on my focal piece had dried, so I proceeded with coloring.

I was a little concerned about coloring the squirrel, because I had decided to use colored pencils and Gamsol. Since the Versafine is an oil-based ink, I wasn't sure if the Gamsol (odorless mineral spirits) would react with it. So I first applied the colored pencil, trying to blend the colors with just the pencils, so that I wouldn't need the Gamsol. But I couldn't get the blending I wanted, so I wet a paper stump with Gamsol, and carefully started blending the colored pencil. As it turned out, I need not have worried, because it didn't seem to react with the Versafine at all.

Once I'd finished coloring the squirrel, I decided the white cardstock was a little TOO white for the rest of the card. So I blended Antique Linen Distress ink from the edges in towards the center. I did my best to avoid inking over the squirrel. I did accidentally get a little red ink on the edge of the circle. So I went around the edges with Gathered Twigs Distress ink, to darken them more and hide my little oops! Finally, I adhered the circle directly to the card front, mounted that onto a white A2 card base, and applied a coat of Glossy Accents to the squirrel's eyes.

I'm also entering this card in Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday "Anything Goes" challenge.