Sunday, June 7, 2015

Miss You

I fell off the challenge cart a month or so ago, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. Today I made a card for a few challenges (some of which may or may not still be open ... you know how that goes), but it was in the spirit of those challenges, anyway.

Here's my card, then I'll explain:


This was inspired by both The Friday Mash-up theme to use Ombre:


and the June Virginia's View challenge to use Ombre or Monochromatic:



My background is (attempted) ombre, but the rest of the card isn't, so I probably don't qualify. Oh, well.

Also influencing my design was the current Paper Players challenge to make a masculine card:


ALSO influencing my design is the current OWH ODBD challenge to make a Missing You card.

Phew. I'll bet you'll be glad when I'm back on track and not piling on so many challenges at once, eh? :)

Oh, an aside: In case you haven't heard, Operation Write Home will cease operation later this year. It's all explained here in their Finish Strong post. This is a good thing! It means so many of our troops will have come home, it's no longer feasible to maintain the non-profit organization (with associated paperwork). All cards sent to OWH must be received by August 1st this year, and no holiday cards!!!! Please see the OWH post for more details, or if you have questions.

So, here's my card story. I thought instead of my usual multi-color ombre backgrounds, I'd go with grey and just vary the intensity of the color. I used my Distress Weathered Wood, which is kind of a smoky grey. Ombre - check.

I messed up the background and had a section with very little ink, so that became the de facto sentiment location. I pulled out my trusty Hero Arts Year Round Sentiments set and stamped the Missing You sentiment - check.

Grey background, simple sentiment. So far this was still masculine. Then I decided to use one of my Crazy Birds. (Did you know the Stampers Anonymous set is actually called Bird Crazy? True.)  I realized the error of my ways when I saw if I stamped it over the grey background, I couldn't color it. Well, I suppose I could have, by adding more water to the background and removing the ink, but that sounded like work. So I stamped it onto a scrap of water color paper instead, colored it, then cut it out.

I stamped the bird onto the background so he'd have legs and hair, then stuck the fussy-cut bird onto it. I think it's still Masculine, so - check.

Oh, and for the record, I finally got my new Distress minis, so I used those to color the bird. Maybe not my best work, but I've now used all four of them, so there's that ...

Thanks for stopping by!





13 comments:

  1. I love your card - and those birds! In fact, I just finished up using one of the others in the set a few minutes ago. They make such cute and fun cards. Great coloring!
    Lynn

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  2. I've been resisting, but every time I see one of these whimsical birds, I'm persuaded to go ahead and buy them anyway! What a fun card, and I love the coloring too!

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  3. Love your card. Anything with one of those sweet Bird Crazy birds is fabulous. I love using mine.

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  4. I have missed your wonderful posts and great cards! It was sooo good to be able to read this one today.

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  5. Love this card! I have to say these birds are starting to grow on me. Your background is perfect! Thanks for joining the Friday Mashup this week.

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  6. You did a great job with the challenge, so cute. This bird set is just adorable. Thanks for playing along with us at The Friday Mashup!

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  7. Great use of the bird, and he does look like hes missing someone.

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  8. I like your ombre background and your not ombre birdie. He looks like he is so sad (from missing you, natch) that he is turning various hues.

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  9. LOVE this colourful bird! I also love the stamp set, I just don't own it yet. Fortunately, a friend does, so I have a few stamped to hold me over. ;)

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  10. I love your Missing you birdie Leslie! He is adorable!
    Thanks for visiting my blog. Oh, a fellow Gabaldon fan, I just had to visit to reply! I too read all the Outlander novels - most of them more than once, ahem, a few of them three times. I love her writing. I have also read the "side stories," it is just such good writing! Did you see the mini series? Good stuff! I seriously don't watch TV at all, but I watched that! :)
    I am always on the lookout for the next real good book, one you can sink your teeth into you know? It is always good if it is a big fat one too! lol I do love it when I find an author that I love who has written more than one. I recently read "Deafening" by Frances Itani, so I am now on the lookout for more of her work - Deafening was excellent IMO.I also recently enjoyed "All the light we cannot see."
    Cheers,
    Shanna :)

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  11. I love those birds, what a crack up! Grey is an amazing choice for the background, and good for you, using your new Distress Inks! Great card.

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  12. I think you did a great job with the background. Perfect way to highlight the crazy bird (and I have that set and have always called it Crazy Birds, ooops!).

    Thanks for joining us at The Friday Mashup!

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I'd love to hear what you really think! :-)

PS: I've had to disable Anonymous comments, because the spammers were killing me. If you are unable to comment, please email me your comment and I'll get it posted for you. Sorry. (stoopid spammers)