Boo!

This is my card for the third challenge from the Inklings Cyberstamp. The third challenge was a scrap sketch, but since the sketch wasn't going to work with the few photos I do have printed I opted to make a card instead. Lin Mei's directive for those making a card was simply to use a stamp for a theme other than it was intended... owls and Halloween cards aren't unusual, but I have done something different with the owl.

One day while working on a Kristina colour challenge I was trying to use the Celebrate Everyday owl but I didn't feel like the colours were working, so I tossed my scrap (ok, the envelope I had been stamping on the back of to test out different colour arrangements) aside. A little while later I looked back at it and was reminded of some other images I had seen where people had used their owls upside down. One thing lead to another, and Boo was born! Now just incase there are people reading who haven't seen Monsters Inc, or for those that haven't seen it in quite some time, I've found this YouTube clip of Boo in her monster get-up so you can see what I was trying to copy.

To create Boo I inked up the owl with StazOn being careful to avoid the feet. I had previously created a mask for the inner details, which I then used to cover this area so it wouldn't stamp. I stamped a second owl, with no masking, so I had the tummy section to cut out for teeth. I then cleaned the stamp and inked the eyes with my Basic Black marker and stamped those where the feet should have been. I then coloured the body in, using the aquapainter to dampen the areas first to help blending. I threaded some linen thread through for the hair, trimmed and attached the teeth and she was done! Then I had to figure out what to do with the rest of the card! I decided to stamp her name in the hopes that anyone who couldn't tell by looking at the pic should be then clued in enough. A smaller font may have made things easier, but I only have two alphabet sets at the moment and I Big Deal is great for kids stuff. The card has ended up an odd size, 4 1/2" square, but sometimes you just have to listen to the muse.

All supplies by Stampin' Up!
Cardstock: Almost Amethyst, Basic Black, Lavender Lace, Confetti White
Stamp sets: Celebrate Everything, Big Deal
Ink: StazOn Jet Black, VersaMark
Accessories: aquapainter, Lavender Lace marker, Sahara Sand marker, linen thread, dimensionals, clear embossing powder
Show watched while creating: Bones

Stippled Butterfly

The other week (yes, I am slow!) Jayne challenged her Inklings to try out the Stippling technique, and this is my response. I varied the spacing, size and shape of the dots to accentuate the colour I wanted in specific areas. It didn't feel right to make the card too busy, so again I have gone with simple and lots of white.

All supplies by Stampin' Up!
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Basic Black, Whisper White
Stamp Sets: Celebrate Everyday, Occasional Greetings, Frames With a Flourish
Inks: StazOn Jet Black, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Soft Subtle brads, Certainly Celery marker, Bashful Blue marker, Wild Wasabi marker (blender pen + refill), dimensionals

Celebrate With Celery!

A few times here and there I have talked about my creative process, how I tend to start with either a colour combination or a layout and go from there. Well, this card had completely different origins. Occasionally my girls will watch the tv show Wonder Pets. One of the catch-phrases on the show is "celebrate with celery"... I had this card half designed in my head - I had seen this Di Hickman sketch and thought it would suit - and then I found myself thinking about how the owl was "whoo hoo-ing" in celebration and the rest is history .

All supplies by Stampin' Up!
Cardstock: Blue Bayou, Certainly Celery, watercolour paper
Stamp Set: Celebrate Everything, Wonderful Words
Inks: StazOn Jet Black, Certainly Celery, VersaMark, Close To Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: twill, Aged Copper Hodgepodge, Aquapainter, inks for colouring: Soft Sky, Blue Bayou, Chocolate Chip, Close To Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, dauber, 1 1/4" square punch, 1 3/8" square punch

I forgot to mention yesterday that I had uploaded some more cards to the Elite Challenges blog. You can check them all out here. Even if you are not an Elite team member you can have a go at the challenges, I know I'd love to see what other people do with them!

Cupid's Hatpin

I'm not usually one for really lovey-dovey cards, however the other day I pulled out the new Spring Mini set Celebrate Everything, all intent to play with the cute little owl image in it, when this idea popped into my head and demanded to be acted upon. I think the hatpin-as-arrow idea was born from discussion with my sister about the Pretties Kit and little I seem to see that hatpin get used. And I was just sticking this together when Kristina posted her colour challenge, I thought it rather funny that I already had two of the colours out!

To create the scallop rectangle I used the 3/16" corner rounder, that poor little thing has been getting such a workout from me lately! I plan on posting a little tutorial about how I created this, and other scalloped shapes, in a few days. I've also had a request for a tutorial demonstrating how I coloured the motif on my first KW #17 card, I hope to have that up in a couple of days as well.

Sankari also commented on my last card that she's enjoyed the "shows I was watching" bit in the card details - she's so on my wavelength! I found myself looking at the cards I'd made and getting a flash of the show/s I had on while making it; they seem to have become a bit of an integral part so it was natural to include them in the details.

All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, Basic Black, Regal Rose, Rose Red
Stamp sets: Celebrate Everyday, Always
Inks: StazOn Jet Black
Accessories: Purely Pomegranate "marker", white gel pen, Pretties Kit, Purely Pomegranate Double-Stitched ribbon, Dimensionals, 3/16" corner rounder, Rose Red Prints paper
Show watched while making card: Gothika