Crooked Stamper Sketch Challenge #1

Hello, readers! It's time for my big reveal. :)

By now most of my regular readers know I love a good sketch challenge. I thought maybe this year I'd take another step and try hosting my own, and I've made up a really unique name for it: Crooked Stamper Sketch Challenge (CSSC). I KNOW, right?

Here's how it's going to work:

• I'll take one of my own cards (one that wasn't used to enter a sketch challenge) to use as the sketch.
• If I can't find a card I think will work, I'll use one I find online, with permission, of course. 
• If you have made a card you think will work, please email me! If I use it, you'll get a shout-out, and a guest gig!
• If the sketch lends itself to flipping and flopping, I may make a few different cards using the same sketch. I love to mix it up.
• The challenges will post on the 1st of each month, and run for 21 days.
• The winners will be announced by the 28th of each month. We'll take a few days off  at the end of each month. You could clean off your desk. Well, YOU could; I won't.
• There will be PRIZES! I plan to give away all my duplicate products. When I run out of those, I'll start giving away other stuff. Some of the stuff is actually pretty nice.
• Winners will not be random. I'll pick the one I like the best, plus two runners-up.
• There will be bragging rights. I'll have winner badges for you to add to your collection.
• There will be limits! You can enter up to 3 times, with a maximum of 3 challenges per entry, including this one. 
• You may take some liberties with the sketch, but the sketch must be recognizable. 
• Feel free to grab my challenge badge from the right side bar.
• These rules will live on their own tab up above for future reference. 
• YOU MUST HAVE FUN!

Now, let's get started!

For my first sketch, I've chosen this card:

which I've translated into this sketch:

Please appreciate the fabby graphic background Miss Lauren has created. I love Mr Bobra up in the left corner. tee hee

I've made a few new versions, and here's the first one:

I didn't use a frame around the center inked image, but that's okay. It still follows the sketch:

Here's another version with the same inking technique, but I trimmed the top and bottom of the white panel, too:

I actually made this one first, and I used water color paper because I'd originally thought I'd water color that rectangle, but changed my mind. I'd already masked the paper with painters tape, even. Instead of water color, I took a Brilliance ink pad and swiped it down the open area a few times, top to bottom and bottom to top, until I got good coverage. Then I dried it. They're both shiny:

Okay, you'll have to believe me.

I also made a more-is-more version:

The main take-away from this version is the rectangle sketch element doesn't have to be a rectangle. It still follows the sketch:

Since I'd slaved over the background, I thought I'd go ahead and share my process. :)  First, I die-cut an oval out of masking paper, and put it on the white panel, then I distressed the panel with three Distress inks: Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean, and Peacock Feathers:

I then applied a layer of translucent embossing paste through a stencil:

When I removed the stencil, I had this:

When I peeled off the mask, I did a poor job, so while the paste was drying, I stamped the sentiment on a separate piece of white card stock, die-cut it, and when the paste was dry, I placed the oval over the masked area. I think this was easier anyway, since I'd worked so hard on the base, and this way I wouldn't stamp the sentiment crooked. ;/

So, what's up for grabs this month? I may or may not have multiples of some Simon Says Stamp inks, and the winner this month will get to pick two of my over-stocks! Wheee! :)

Wanna play along? Please do, and link up below!


Thanks for stopping by!

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