My Favorite Things Weekly Sketch Challenge
Challenge #654
Good day, fellow crafters. It's that time again, and though I'm running a bit behind this week, I'm excited to share my entry for the My Favorite Things (MFT) Weekly Sketch Challenge. Creating this card was an absolute blast, and I can't help but express my excitement, as I always do when crafting. However, this time, it was extra special because I tried something new – marbling paper on my own! I must say, the results were beyond my expectations; the technique provided AMAZING outcomes. I can't wait to use this method again in future projects. Soon, I'll be posting a detailed write-up with the process and the materials I used for marbling, including some of the beautiful papers I created. For those curious, this method involves marbling paper with a mixture of cornstarch, alum, water, and acrylic paints. Trust me, it's an enjoyable experience, and the possibilities are endless. Did I mention how much fun I had with it? I hope you enjoy my creation, and stay tuned for that upcoming post, where I'll guide you through the steps to try this exciting marbling technique yourself.
This week we are creating with the design inspiration of the MFTWSC654 layout, pictured on the left. The design inspiration brings to mind a classic photo frame layout, where a smaller photo, like a 4x4, is placed within a larger frame, perhaps a 9x12. You know, the kind of layout that often features some kind of small commemorative plaque or decorative elements, like a baby rattle. So that lead me to think about babies which led me to the MFT Adorable Elephants stamp set, below right. These adorable elephant designs were just too cute to resist, and I instantly envisioned using them to create a charming "baby's first photo" theme.
To begin this project, I grabbed a sheet of white cardstock and used Gina K's Amalgam ink to stamp the adorable elephant. To focus on other elements, I carefully masked the elephant with green tape so as to not cover it up accidentally. For the sky background, I used MFT's Cloud Stencil (ST-099) along with the Mini Cloud Edges (ST-100), which I discovered is no longer available on their website. Additionally, I incorporated the MFT Grassy Edges (ST-111) for the elephant to be resting on. After setting up the background with clouds, grass, butterflies, and flowers, I finally removed the mask from the elephant, revealing its rightful place in the scene.
To bring life to my focal elements, I carefully colored all the stamped images with soft hues, using my trusty Copic markers. With the coloring complete, I set the panel aside for further assembly.
Next, I focused on creating the remaining elements for the card. Staying true to the "baby's first photo" theme, I opted for a delicate, non-gender-specific marbled paper as the background. While the background featured a lot of blues, I wanted to maintain a balanced look. To achieve this, I used pink-colored mats for all the elements. Once I cut all the pieces and trimmed the foreground to its final dimensions, I assembled them according to the design inspiration, mounting everything onto a pre-cut A2 white card base. Once that was in place I stamped my sentiment into place using the same Amalgam ink.
And there you have it – a delightful, gender-neutral card with an endearing "baby's first photo" motif!
