Smile for the Lion Card featuring a Ghosting Technique

Here is a fun polka dot stenciled card that I made with a few challenges in mind.The 3 challenges are noted below (stencil, sketch and polka dots).

I really enjoy participating in challenges as they are a fun way to keep the creative juices flowing and make you think outside the box. They also help you to dig down into your stash and use some products you didn’t even remember you had. I really feel with each one I have learned something new. Especially when you are trying to create one card for several rule sets. This is actually the first time I have done this. I am generally “a one card one challenge girl”. So entering 3 at once was a challenge but really a great time. You will have to see what you think.

The card was a several step process. Each one was a lot of fun. Although as it was coming together I wasn’t sure I was liking it all that much. Seemed a little dull or something. But in the end I really am pleased with how it turned out. Hope you like it too.

I started with a hero arts stencil for the background. Did a ghost/shadow technique on desert storm card stock with Memento Luxe wedding dress ink sponging. Then shifted the stencil slightly and repeated with distress ink blending using spiced marmalade, stormy sky and dusty concord.

I trimmed the panel down a little off each of the sides and placed it on a purple card stock front panel and the card base is Neenah desert storm.

The focal point is a watercolor panel die cut with SSS stitched rectangle. Which was stamped with the cute lion critter from the April SSS card kit. I used Zigg Clean Brush makers for water coloring in beige and oatmeal. The eyes are coated with glossy accents and the lion is covered with some clear Wink of Stella.

The Smile sentiment is an older  die (Sizzlet) that I cut from a light weight chip board and then did 5 to 6 coats of embossing with Rangers liquid platinum powder to give it the dimension I was looking for.

Tip: The embossing takes some time. I temporarily glued the letters to a scrap piece of card stock to use as a handle so it was easy to dip into the embossing powder, after covering them with the Versa Mark ink. Also helps you  to manage better when using the heat gun. I did let it cool completely between each application. If you don’t you will ruin your embossing pad. Trust me I know! If you are quick enough and you dip it each time right away before it cools you can do it that way as well. What I recommend is it doing severely pieces, in assembly line fashion, so you are not idle during the cooling time.

I left the inside of the card blank for now. You never know when I might need a quick card and it is one that easily could be used for an up coming Birthday or just for a fun note card to send someone as “Happy Mail”.

Do check out the blogs. The designers at each blog have really provided some great inspiration.

http://thepaperplayers.blogspot.com/

http://tgifchallenges.blogspot.com/

CAS on Sunday #106 Stencil Challenge..

http://cleanandsimpleonsunday.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy ~ Pat