Kitty Thank You Card

The challenge theme this week at Our Daily Bread Designs has been a sketch challenge. They posted this sketch, with the idea being to make a card based on the design:

I rotated the sketch 90 degrees counterclockwise, but otherwise pretty much adhered to it.

I chose ODBD's "Cat Single" stamp as my focal image. I stamped it onto a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper, using Ranger Archival Watering Can ink. I actually did second generation stamping, by stamping my first impression onto the back of the panel, then restamping onto the front without reinking between stampings. This gave me a lighter image to work with. I used my Inktense pencils & a damp paintbrush to color the image, adding the sky at the end with a wash of light blue watercolor. One benefit of the Inktense pencils is that they are permanent when dry, so if I went over those areas a little with the sky wash, it didn't lift the initial color & create mud. I also reinforced the pupil of the cat with a black marker, adding a catch light with a white gel pen.

As that was drying, I worked on my greeting. I die cut a scalloped circle from a yellow paper with a slight tone-on-tone pattern, using a Lifestyle Crafts die. I then stamped my greeting on that, using Stampabilities' "Thank You Circle Seal" stamp. I matted that with pink cardstock, and fussy cut around the perimeter to have a narrow, scalloped mat.

To create the background, I used ODBD's "Gingham Background" stamp and Hero Arts' Unicorn White pigment ink on a dark teal cardstock. Using my MISTI, I was thankfully able to get a good impression, even though I had to stamp it twice to get proper coverage. Then I set that aside, since the ink does take quite a while to dry completely.

I chose 2 patterned papers from Authentique's "Latest & Greatest" 6x6" paper pad for the middle panels. I cut them to size, and matted them with more pink cardstock. I was a bit nervous, since I wasn't sure I'd have enough of that pink, but thankfully, I had a piece that was JUST big enough for both panels!

Now it was time to assemble the card. I glued the two middle layers together, following the sketch for placement. I then glued them to the background panel, which I'd already matted and adhered to an A2 card base. I glued my focal panel on top of those, and finally glued down my greeting. And this card was done!

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

Virginia's View Challenge #14: "Layers & Dimensions"
Simon Says Stamp's Work It Wednesday: "Stamping"