My Time To Craft Inspirational Design
Summer Camping
Good day, fellow crafters. I am thrilled to introduce my inspirational submission for the My Time To Craft Challenge Blog. For every challenge we, as the design team, attempt to bring you themes and ideas that will test your abilities and, ideally, ignite your enthusiasm to explore fresh ways of thinking. However, what I like most about being part of the team is seeing how we each showcase our take on the theme and sometimes just what the card means to the creator. Take my submission, for instance, it is laid out pretty much as intended by the designers at My Favorite Things but for me, it’s not about the design but what the design represents when I see it and the emotion it creates.
When I was a kid, my family and I went on a summer camping trip. We found a spot to set up camp and as the sun went down, the forest came alive with the sounds of the night. The chirping of crickets, the rustling of leaves, and the distant calls of animals filled the air. We gathered around the campfire, listening to the soothing symphony of nature. That camping trip remains a cherished memory, reminding me of the simple pleasure of spending nights in the great outdoors.
I hope you are inspired to enter this challenge and I can’t wait to see your creative take on this week’s theme of Summer Camping. Be sure to tag me on your entry and/or comment below so I know to watch out for you. Remember Crafting is Happiness!
While this card looks pretty easy, it had some complications that made it a challenge to create. You see, to get the clean look I wanted from the stamped background, I need to begin with stamping the first foreground image, the campfire, then mask it off with some Mint tape. Then I moved to the next image working from front to back masking each. The reason I decided to go from front to back instead of from back to front was that I wanted to make sure that I was able to get the perspective correct so that my image didn’t appear overcrowded.
Once every one of my stamped images was masked I used some light green ink and blended in the grass and then used some blues, purple, and grays to create the darkening sky. At this point, I also took the opportunity to use some white pearl watercolor that I picked up on an old toothbrush then flicked to put droplets onto the sky to give the appearance of stars.
To complete the card image I then peeled off all the Mint tape and using my Copic Markers colored in all of the cute camping critters, trees, et al, and the subtle shading required to bring the image to life. I also took the opportunity to give the card some dimension by cutting out the moon and placing it in the night sky using some pop dots.
The last stage was to use a sentiment from the same stamp collection and stamp the background with embossing ink. I then covered the ink with a fine white embossing powder and heat-set it.
Reflecting on this project, I am reminded of the joy that comes from embracing creative challenges and thinking outside the box. I look forward to future challenges, pushing the boundaries of my creativity, and witnessing the remarkable work of fellow crafters such as yourself. It is through such experiences that we continue to grow and nurture our passion for crafting.
