Freshly Made Sketches
Sketch #603
Good day, fellow crafters. Today I am back with another challenge entry. This particular one is for Freshly Made Sketches #603 which if you click the link below their banner you still have some time to enter. I really love participating in sketch layout challenges because it helps me to think outside of the box and bring a differing perspective to the things I create. If you are really stumped of a layout idea then head over to their site and you will be able to run through an archive of all of the 600 sketch layouts that have been submitted by their community. I hope you enjoy.
To create this card, utilizing the sketch layout featured on the left, I first began with the background panel. Using white cardsock, Ranger’s Distress Oxide in the color called Salty Ocean, and Taylored Expressions Set the Scene - Clouds stencil, featured below right, I carefully ink-blended a cloudy sky. To do this I started at the bottom, secured my stencil and the with my dedicated blue ink-blending brush I applied color across the stencil until it was the hue I wanted. The next step was to give it a few seconds to dry and then move the stencil upwards on the cardstock so that the top of the clouds were just above the blue that I had just applied. By utilizing this method you get the results you see in the card which looks like you have fluffy white clouds in the background. I then set the panel aside to dry.
The next step in the process was to create the butterflies. This was accomplished in two separate stages, the background and foreground. The background was created by using the corresponding die from the Simon Hurley Brilliant Butterflies, featured below left, and some of my left over smooshed ink paper. In case you are new to my blog, I hate to waste materials so whenever I have the opportunity to use all of my supplies I am the happiest. In this case what I am referring to is what I do after a session of water coloring with the smooshed ink method. I always take the time to spritz all of the colors left over on my glass mat with a bit more water and then drag a piece of white cardstock through them to clean up all the left over inks. This usually returns a really unique looking designed paper that I can use later as well as having that added benefit of not wasting materials. The background for the butterflies was created in this manner. I used the appropriate sized die and cut the three differing sizes per the sketch layout.
The next step was to use black cardstock and the corresponding die for the foreground of the butterfly. This gave a the butterfly an outlined look and allows the background paper to shine through. Once they were all cut out I adhered them together with a bit of liquid glue.
After completing the butterflies I turned my attention to the card’s sentiment. For this I decided I wanted a foiled sentiment so I utilized Spellbinders More Sentiments glimmer plates and some heat activated foil in the color Lavender Petal. After my glimmer machine was up to temperature I foiled the sentiment and then cut it out with a sentiment tag from Spellbinders Foil Transfer Letter Press set.
The last stage was assembly. I trimmed down my background panel to its final dimensions and them for move visual appeal I trimmed down a black mat as well. I adhered the two together with double-sided tape and then adhered the composite together with a pre-cut and folded A2 white card base. Next I positioned the butterflies onto the background panel, making sure to have some overlap and some slight bend to the wing for added interest. To complete the card I adhered my sentiment into place.
