Card for Guest Designer Call

Well, I did it. I put together the following card for the purpose of 'trying out' to be a team member with the High Hopes Divas.

I couldn't get a photo of the card to make it look nice, so I finally decided to just use my scanner. I will continue practicing with the photo venue to hopefully enhance your viewing pleasure of my projects.

I had to follow this sketch.


I might have followed it too closely, but I didn't want to take too many chances. Unfortunately, I don't have any High Hopes stamps yet, so I used one of the PMSabella's I had. I colored the image with Prisma colored pencils. I cut it out with the scalloped circle (I thought it left less wasted space and was cuter than using the square or rectangle). All the papers I used on the card were out of the 'Pink Armadillo - Paper Studio' paper pack. There's a cute little pink prima flower and a brad. The sentiment I actually printed out on my printer and then trimmed (I didn't have one that said what I wanted). Um, and the ribbon was just in my big ribbon thing, I'm sure I picked the ribbon up at Michael's sometime.

As you probably noticed, I've inked the edges of all my paper (even the scalloped circles). I really like the look that inking gives. I probably ink the edges of about 75% of everything I do (whether my husband thinks I should or not ;). I think it helps to make the edges more sharp and defined (separating the different colors/patterns in the papers) but yet, the Colorbox liquid chalk ink pads leave a soft and smooth look. On this one, I used my favorite brown (Chesnut Roan).

As for the coloring - I really like using the Prisma colored pencils. I lay down a relatively thick line around the edges and any stress points. Then I get out my blender stick and my turpenoid. (Turpenoid is the same as gamsol or mineral spirits or whatever your store has to sell.) Soak your tip and start in the corner. Go in a slow circular motion drawing the heavy color out into the rest of the picture. I've found that a nice thick line on the edges and the stress points is enough to color in pretty much anything! The turpenoid (or whatev) really helps to move colors around to shade things nicely.

Now I just have to write the perfect email to Kim at High Hopes.

- D -