1 Sketch, 2 Very Different Cards

Catch the Bug challenge blog is currently having their "Stella Says Sketch" challenge #309. The idea is to create a card inspired by the sketch they posted:

I ended up creating 2 cards, one for a boy and the other for a girl, to send to Send a Smile 4 Kids.

For my first card, I was inspired by this card by Dawn Frost. I liked the way that she had the boy's legs extending beyond the bottom of the panel.

I printed Bugaboo's "Kidz--Sitter Music" onto a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper. I colored him with Inktense pencils, using a damp brush both the pick the color off the pencils and apply it to the paper, and to blend out the colors. After I had finished coloring him in, I painted the background with regular blue watercolor. Finally, I trimmed off the bottom of the panel, except for his legs, which I fussy cut around.

I chose 2 patterned papers from Kaisercraft's "Technologic" 6.5" square paper pad. I die cut the black paper with the largest of Simon Says Stamp's "Stitched Rectangles," and trimmed the red paper into a strip. I punched one end of the strip with the "Binder Edge" edger punch by EK Success. I die cut the other end with one side of the "Stitched Rectangles" die, to maintain the faux stitching along the edge. Finally, I glued that in place, and adhered the focal panel on top.

I didn't have a ready-made greeting that I felt would work, so I created my own on the computer. I printed it on a piece of grey cardstock, cut it in a banner shape, die cut the end with the "Stitched Rectangles" die, and glued it on the background. Finally, I matted the whole thing with a dark red cardstock, and adhered it to an A2 card base.

I used Bugaboo's "Fancy Sunbonnet Flowers" digital image for my other card. I also printed that on 140 lb. watercolor paper, and used my Inktense pencils and watercolor to color the image and the background, respectively. Once that dried, I matted it with navy blue cardstock.

For the banner, I cut a strip of patterned paper from Fancy Pants Designs' "Burlap & Bouquets" 6x6" pad, and punched the bottom edge with the "Scallop Sentiment" border punch by Fiskars. I die cut the background panel from a piece of patterned paper from the same pad, again using the "Stitched Rectangles" die. I also die cut the top of the banner strip; again, to have the faux stitching. I adhered the banner in place, and glued the focal panel on top of that.

I chose one of the greetings from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamp's "Colorful Sentiments" digital stamp set. I printed it on a piece of cardstock, cut it to size, and punched one end with the "Scallop Sentiment" punch. I also die cut the other end with the "Stitched Rectangles," before adhering it in place. Finally, I matted the finished panel with green cardstock, and adhered it to an A2 card base.

I'm also entering these cards in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Monday "Simon Brand Products"
Virginia's View Challenge #14: "Layers & Dimension"
Catch the Bug's Theme Challenge: "In the Garden" (2nd card only)