Happy 33rd Anniversary Sweetheart!

Hi Friends!

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend so far!  Today my husband and I are celebrating our 33^rd Anniversary and I am thankful every day that he is my best friend and we are still so much in love!! 

I have owned the retired Stampin’ Up! Wolf set ever since I purchased it as a current set from the catalog in 2002 or so (it retired in 2004) and I have never created a card with the main image yet.   

I recall trying to stamp with this image years ago but the older linen pads were not moist enough to bring out all of the detail but the new foam pads and Stāz-On® do such a great job!  I knew that this was the set I wanted to use since my husband loves all wildlife, especially wolves :-)

I also incorporated a few of my favorite online challenges into the design- the layout is from the Mojo Monday 429 Sketch along with the colors and wildlife theme from the HSSIC228 Inspiration Photo (I know the photo has sweet little deer but the wildlife and colors are what inspired me :-)) and the Splitcoaststampers WT565 “Lose Weight, Feel Great!” Challenge (to use up some of your embellishments, paper, etc.).  

If you have not had a chance to do, I hope that you will take a moment to visit each of the galleries linked above – great designs by all!

To create this card:

Ink the main wolf image from the retired Wolf stamp set using Stāz-On® Stone Gray Ink onto Whisper White cardstock, color using Faber-Castell™ Polychromos Pencils and blending with Gamsol® (I did add a bit of black ink around the eyes along with Titanium White Acrylic Paint for highlights).

Cut the image out with the Big Shot™ and the My Favorite Things™ (MFT) Stitched Circle STAX and mount onto a Basic Black and Early Espresso cardstock circle (split the cardstock circles in half and adhere behind the main image).

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper Distress Ink to antique the paper.

Use a Distressing Tool to distress the edges of the layered focal image as well as the edges of the pieces of retired Outlaw Designer Paper (DP)

 *** FYI ***  I did not use up all of my stash of this paper but finally used a bit for the WT565 Challenge :-)

Use a sewing machine to adhere the distressed DP onto Early Espresso cardstock, layer per the Mojo Sketch onto the retired Really Rust (or it may be Dusty Durango- not sure) card base. 

Stamp the additional wolf image onto the DP using Stāz-On® Stone Gray Ink (stamping off once before stamping onto the paper).

Stamp the sentiment from the Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD) Scripture Collection 2 onto Whisper White cardstock using Stāz-On® Stone Gray Ink, trim and mount onto a piece of Basic Black cardstock, distress the edges and mount onto Early Espresso cardstock (distressing the edges with the Distressing Tool). 

A side view to show the dimension

Ink the wolf paw prints with Stāz-On® Stone Gray Ink, stamp off and stamp onto the sentiment.

Use a 1 ⅜” Square Punch to create the photo corners, attach to the sentiment corners using Mini Copper Brads as well as the corner of the background layer to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Wolf (retired), Scripture Collection 2 (ODBD)

Ink: Stāz-On® Stone Gray Ink, Faber-Castell™ Polychromos Pencils, Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper Distress Ink

Paper/Cardstock:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Early Espresso, Really Rust (retired), Outlaw DP (retired)

Accessories: Big Shot™, MFT™ Stitched Circle STAX, Sewing Machine, Gamsol®, Distressing Tool, Sewing Machine, Sponge Dauber, 1 ⅜” Square Punch, Mini Copper Brads

Thanks again for visiting- I hope you have a fantastic weekend, my friends!  

HYCCT1527 Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History

Hi Friends!!

This card was created for the Splitcoaststampers’ “Hope You Can Cling To” HYCCT1527 Edna’s “Strength In Numbers” Challenge to use "masking" to create a group of people or animals.

Again, if you have not had a chance to do so, I hope you will find the time to visit the above gallery- fantastic inspiration from all!!

I decided to use the Graphic45® Couture set from Hampton Arts® to create my group of fanciful ladies :-)

To create this card:

Stamp the main lady in the center using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink onto Whisper White cardstock.

Re-ink the image and stamp onto a piece of scrap paper, fussy-cut out the image and use this as a mask for the main image on the Whisper White cardstock.

Ink the other two ladies using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink.

Remove the mask and color the image with Faber-Castell® Polychromos™ Pencils and use Gamsol® with a Blending Stump to blend.

Add definition with the Real Red Stampin’ Write Marker and add shadows to all of the images with the Sahara Sand Stampin’ Write Marker.

Add Frost White Shimmer Paint with an AquaPainter™ to the hat and dark bands on the central image, the veil, gloves on the right hand side lady and the coat for the lady on the left.

Use the Big Shot™ with the Spellbinders® Labels 18 Die to cut out the panel along with another label from Basic Black cardstock.

Split the Basic Black label in half and mount behind the focal image.

Use the Big Shot™ to emboss a piece of Real Red cardstock with the Lacy Brocade Texture Impressions™ Embossing Folder, trim and mount onto a piece of Basic Black cardstock, trim and mount onto the Whisper White card base.

Stamp the sentiment from the retired Stampin’ Up! set, Fabulous Thoughts using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink onto Whisper White cardstock, add the banner points with the Hexagon Punch.

Mount the focal image and sentiment to the card front with dimensional foam and add the 5/8” Basic Black Satin Ribbon Double Bow along with the Rhinestone to the center of the lady in red’s blouse to finish off the card.

 Stamp Sets:  Favorite Thoughts (retired Stampin’ Up!), Couture (Graphic 45® by Hampton Arts®)

Ink: Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink, Stampin’ Write Real Red and Sahara Sand Markers, Faber-Castell® Polychromos™ Red Pencil, Frost White Shimmer Paint

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red

Accessories: Big Shot™, retired Lacy Brocade Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Spellbinders® Labels 18 Die, Hexagon Punch, 5/8” Basic Black Satin Ribbon, Rhinestone, Gamsol®, Blending Stump, AquaPainter™

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by- I will be posting a few more of the Hope You Can Cling To Challenge cards later this evening and tomorrow!