Paper Craft Crew Sketch Challenge Cards

Hello Craftin' Friends!

Can I tell you how I was brave this week? I participated in a sketch challenge held by the Paper Craft Crew Blog. I've never considered myself an "artsy" person, and my early involvement with paper crafting involved a lot of hand holding on the part of my sister and friends as I tried to explore my creative side. I've always enjoyed crafting, but my mother would tell you that the results were often just short of disastrous! As a child I loved the Public Library, and I would come home with craft books feeling inspired to create. Somehow I always picked the most difficult projects and ended up with both Mom and I feeling frustrated. So I am feeling brave to have participated in a design challenge.

I hope you like the cards I've created. I made two, because after making the first one I wasn't satisfied, so I had to try again. Even so, I am going to share both cards with you, because they're very different, and I'm curious which card you prefer. Here's the sketch I used from the Paper Craft Crew Blog #332 #PCCC

The first card uses a technique called the kissing technique to create a background. I placed three drops of re-inker in Pool Party onto a craft mat, then spritzed liberally with water. The kissing technique involves turning your paper over and gently "kissing" the liquid with the paper to add colour to the paper. I used Shimmery White cardstock for this project, and dried the paper with my heat tool in between applications of the colour, to get the effect seen below. I did learn in doing this technique that it is better to use lots of water to dilute the colour and then add layers, as I had a more intense colour than I wanted overall. Lesson learned! There are lots of videos showing this technique on YouTube if you need more of a visual.

To create the card as shown below, I used a Lemon Lime Twist Card base, with a super skinny Pool Party layer, then my created watercolour layer.  I used two patterns of Painted Seasons Designer Series Paper, one matted with Lemon Lime Twist and embellished with a border from the Be Mine Framelits Dies, the other one die cut with a Stitched Square shape, then embellished with a Pool Party floral die, also from the Be Mine Framelits Dies. The Thank You sentiment was from the Petal Palette Stamp Set, stamped and matted in Pool Party.

For the finishing touches, I added some Iridescent Sequins and Basic Rhinestones. Then I dripped some Frost White Shimmer Paint over top using an aqua painter. Just a caution about using the shimmer paint with any tool, be sure to rinse immediately so that the tool isn't ruined. Here's a close up of some of the details.

Here's the second card I made using the design sketch featuring the Broadway Birthday Designer Series Paper.

This card used some fussy cut lollipops and a sentiment from the Piece of Cake Stamp Set. The Lovely Lipstick ribbon in the top left corner of the stitched square is from a two ribbon pack in the Occasions Catalogue. Below is a closeup of the focal piece.

So friends, let me know which card you like the best. And I hope you feel inspired to be brave in your creating.

Finally, I would like to address the announcements made by Stampin' Up today, regarding the products that will not, be available in the Annual Catalogue coming out in June. The Stampin' Trimmer will be discontinued, so if any of you have trimmers, you may wish to stock up on the blades and/or trimmer replacement mats. The Big Shot will not be available for purchase in the next Annual Catalogue, and dies and embossing folders will gradually be switched over to those produced by a new manufacturer. This change is to eliminate a "middle man" from Stampin' Up's product line. The new dies and embossing folders will work with the Big Shot and other die cutting machines that customers may already own. As always, Stampin' Up offers high quality products and backs up their products with excellent customer service. Please let me know if you have any questions about the product changes.

Each year Stampin' Up releases a list of products retiring before the new Annual Catalogue is released. Watch my blog next week for a full list of retiring products. To be sure not to miss out on updates, click on subscribe and submit your email address to receive any blog posts right away.

I hope you can join me Thursday evening at 7 pm for my Facebook Live where I will show how to make a fun fold card using the incredibly cute Fable Friends Stamp Set.

Happy Crafting!
Craftin' Granny