A Truck for Father's Day

Our Daily Bread Designs is having an "Anything Goes with ODBD Stamps" challenge this week. Since, at least on Operation Write Home's calendar, Father's Day is right around the corner, I decided to use ODBD's "Truck Single" stamp to make a Father's Day card.

I used Operation Write Home's Sketch #237 for my card design:

I began by stamping the truck onto a piece of white Bristol paper with Memento Tuxedo Black dye ink. I then colored it in with colored pencils, using Gamsol on a paper stump to blend the colors. I matted that with dark brown cardstock.

To continue the masculine tone of the card, I chose my patterned papers mostly in brown & teal tones. I added the yellow paper to echo the yellow color of the truck. I cut them to the sizes indicated in the sketch, inked the edges of each piece with Walnut Stain Distress ink, and adhered the layers together.

I cut a piece of kraft cardstock to 4.25x5.5". After inking the edges with more Walnut Stain, I lightly marked with a pencil where the focal panel would be. I scanned that into my computer, and opened it in Photoshop. For the greeting, I chose one from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' "Father's Day Sentiments." I sized and positioned that on the kraft image in Photoshop, and then printed the greeting directly onto the cardstock panel. Finally, I adhered my patterned paper layers to the top of the kraft, and glued my focal panel in place. I adhered my completed card front to an A2 card base, and I was done!

I'm also entering my card in Virginia's View Challenge #14: "Layers and Dimensions."

Happy Birdday

The current challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids' challenge blog is "Pastel Colors 4 Kids." I decided to create an interactive birthday card.

I began by die cutting my blue tag using the tag die from Pretty Pink Posh's "Stitched Duo 1." I also cut a "window" in the middle using the "Peek-a-Boo" die, also from Pretty Pink Posh. This was my first time using this die, and I thought it would add a cute element. I die cut another tag from 140 lb. watercolor paper, and one from a patterned paper from Die Cuts with a View. Finally, I die cut my background panel from light green cardstock, using the largest of the "Stitched Rectangles" dies from Simon Says Stamp.

I stamped the "Happy Birdday" greeting from Hero Arts' "Missing You" stamp set on the blue tag. I layered that tag on top of the watercolor paper tag, and marked where the window would be. Then I stamped the wonky bird from the same set within that spot. I erased my pencil lines, and colored him with watercolor pencils and a wet brush. When that was dry, I glued the blue tag on top.

I punched 2 tag reinforcers from white cardstock, using a 1/4" hole punch. I glued those to the tops of the blue and patterned paper tags, and let that dry. While the glue was drying, I used a stencil (source unknown) and Bundled Sage Distress ink to create a pattern on the green cardstock panel. By the time I finished that, the glue on the hole reinforcers had dried, so I punched a hole through each with an 1/8" hole punch. I layered my tags, and threaded several pieces of bakers twine from Queen & Company through the holes, tying them in a knot. Finally, I glued the tags in place on the green panel, with the patterned paper one peeking out from behind the blue tag. I added some Glossy Accents to the bird's eyes, and let that dry.

All that was left to do at that point was adhere the completed card front to a white A2 card base. I will be sending this card to Send a Smile 4 Kids. I hope the interactive element and cute birdie will bring a smile to a hospitalized child's face!

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

Moose You So Much

I noticed, the last time I sent cards to Operation Write Home, I had a dearth of "missing you," "birthday," and "thank you" cards. So I decided to make a greater effort to create more of those cards to send in. When I made this card, since I already had my Hero Arts "Missing You" stamp set out, I decided to create another card. This time, rather than color the image in, I decided to do some paper piecing. I've done that on the sheep from this set, but never on the moose. Turned out to be a little more challenging that I originally thought!

I began by choosing Sketch #119 from OWH. It is a simple design, which I felt would work well with the somewhat more complex paper-pieced moose.

I stamped the moose and greeting onto a piece of white cardstock, in Versafine Onyx Black ink, then die cut it with one of Spellbinders' "Standard Circles LG" dies. I also stamped the moose onto 3 different patterned paper scraps: one for the antlers, one for the nose, and a check pattern for the body & ears. I then cut out each section. The nose was pretty easy & straightforward to cut. Since the body included the ears, that was more difficult. One of the ears I had to cut out by itself. The antlers were also rather fiddly, since I had to cut around where the ears went and in and out of the top parts. Finally, I had all my cutting done, and glued each piece on the image I'd stamped on the white cardstock. I did leave the eyes white, and just colored in the hooves with a black pen.

To create the card front, I cut 2 pieces from patterned paper scraps on my desk to 1.75x4". I also punched a strip from a third piece with the Martha Stewart "Arch Lattice" border punch. I glued that behind the yellow paper, with the punched area just peeking out above the paper. Then I adhered my patterned papers in place on a kraft cardstock panel. After inking around my focal circle with Gathered Twigs Distress ink, I glued it on top of the patterned paper panels.

I applied adhesive with my ATG gun to the back of the kraft panel and went to glue it to an A2 card base. That's when I noticed the panel was about 1/4" shorter than said card base! Apparently I'd lined it up in my paper trimmer wrong. So I cut 2 strips from dark brown cardstock, and glued them to the top & bottom of the front of my card base. I adhered the front panel over those, and this card was done. I did add a little Glossy Accents to the moose's eyes, just for a bit of shine. I will be sending this card to Operation Write Home.

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

You Make My Days Brighter

Each month, Operation Write Home has a challenge, sponsored by Our Daily Bread Designs. This month's theme is "Sentiments." I decided to feature a greeting in this digital stamp set from Doodle Pantry. I felt the casual font style of the greeting went well with the playful angles in the dies I chose to use.

I used a sketch from My Favorite Things, that corresponds to their "Blueprints 15" die set. I die cut my pieces, using left-over patterned paper scraps I had on my scrap desk. (I'm really trying to keep scraps out of my bulging & overflowing scrap files, by using them in cards first!) I also used a scrap piece of dark brown cardstock to die cut the circle and background, and glue behind the blue strip. I inked around the edges of the striped banner piece with Walnut Stain Distress ink, to help it stand out from the chevron panel. After I finished my die cutting, I adhered all the pieces, except for the greeting panel, onto the background piece.

For the greeting, I first created a blank canvas in Photoshop, the size of the yellow die cut panel. After drawing lines to mark the angles of the right and bottom edges in the die cut, I placed my greeting on the canvas. I did distort the greeting just a bit, lengthening the right side only, so it would better follow the wonky angle on that side. I made sure not to overdo it though! Finally, I printed it directly onto my die cut piece, and adhered that to the card front. I did ink around the edges of the card front with more Walnut Stain, just where the patterned papers are, to make it stand out a little more when I placed it on the card base. All that was left to do then was to mount the front to a cream A2-size card base! I will be sending this card on to Operation Write Home.

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

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.

More Than Just a Little

The current challenge theme at Simon Says Stamp's Monday challenge blog is "One Stamp, Many Ways." I decided to use one of the stamps from Simon Says Stamp's "Summer Garden" set 3 ways.

I began by choosing Operation Write Home's Sketch #250 as the basis of my design:

I decided to create a one-layer background by using masking. To begin, I die cut a circle from some Simon Says Stamp masking paper, using one of Spellbinders' "Standard Circles LG" dies. I used the negative portion to mask off most of a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper I'd cut to 4x5.25". Inside the unmasked circle area, I stamped the flower image several times using Ranger Archival Watering Can ink. I then removed the mask, prepped the paper for embossing with my anti-static pouch, and stamped over the flowers around the edge of the circle with Versamark ink. I sprinkled on Ranger Super Fine Detail White embossing powder, brushed off any powder from the grey flowers, and heat set the rest of the flower portions. My vision was to have the white heat embossed flowers be a continuation of the grey ones inside the circle. I proceeded to stamp the flower several more times over the background, using Versamark, and white heat embossed those images.

For the background, I first applied masking fluid over the circle area, so it would remain white. When that dried, I applied Distress inks in Dusty Concord, Shaded Lilac, Salty Ocean, & Faded Jeans onto my non-stick craft mat. I spritzed them with water, and smooshed the watercolor panel face-down into the ink. After getting an initial coverage of the different colors, I dried it a bit with my heat tool--being careful not to heat the masking fluid too much--and pounced it back into the ink puddles to add color and visual texture. I repeated this process a few more times, until I got the look I wanted. After drying it for the last time, I removed the masking fluid.

I cut a strip of navy cardstock to the size indicated in the sketch, and stamped a greeting from Mama Elephant's "In My Heart" set on that in Versamark. I heat embossed that with the same embossing powder. For the yellow flower, I stamped the image once more onto another scrap of watercolor paper, using Watering Can ink. I colored it with watercolor pencils, using a damp brush to blend the colors. When that dried, I die cut it with the coordinating die. I adhered the greeting strip in place, and glued the flower down to one side of the greeting. Finally, I matted the finished watercolor piece with another piece of navy cardstock, and mounted that to an A2 card base.

I'm also entering my card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday "Anything Goes"
Simon Says Stamp's Work It Wednesday "Stamping"

Mom, You're the Best!

The deadline for Mother's Day cards to be at Operation Write Home is March 31. I did make a few of those for them, but also put in a couple of general "mom" cards, including this one, since these have a longer shelf life.

I began by choosing the "Stitched Filmstrip" die from Pretty Pink Posh and Hero Arts' "Antique Butterflies & Flowers" stamp & die set. I thought the smaller butterflies were the perfect size to put in the openings in the die cut. After stamping 2 of the butterflies on white cardstock, using Memento Tuxedo Black dye ink, I colored them in with colored pencils. Because the images are so tiny, I just colored them solidly, with no blending. When I'd finished with that, I die cut them with the coordinating dies, and also die cut the filmstrip from both light and darker blue cardstock.

I glued the light blue filmstrip die cut to a piece of light green cardstock, and cut the excess green, so it just served as a backer piece. Then I trimmed my two larger butterflies so they would fit in the spaces, and glued them and the smaller butterfly in place. I glued the darker blue filmstrip piece to the back, offset slightly to give a shadow effect. This is a tip I picked up from Nichol Magouirk, just to add some visual interest without bulk.

For the background, I cut a piece of patterned paper from Prima's “Botanical Collection” 6x6” pad to 4-1/8x5-3/8". I matted that with another piece of the light blue cardstock I'd used for the filmstrip die cut, which I'd cut to a standard A2 size. For the greeting, I decided on one from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' "Mother's Day Sentiments," and printed that on a tag I'd die cut with one of Pretty Pink Posh's "Stitched Tags" dies. I die cut another, darker green tag with the same die, and layered that one behind the greeting tag. Again, this gives depth without bulk. I glued the completed filmstrip and greeting in place, and finally adhered the card front to a white A2 card base.

I'm entering this card in a2z Scrapbooking's March Challenge: "Color It In."