A Loch Ness Birthday (Lovable Legends)

This card was so much fun to make! I got lots of use of my Lawn Fawn Lovable Legends stamp set for it, which seemed fitting given the theme from Craft Rocket Challenges – Mythical Creatures. I used Viva la Verve‘s first April sketch for my layout, along with A Bit More Time To Craft‘s Anything Goes challenge, and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday‘s Happy Birthday challenge.

I started by making my image panel. First I measured and cut the white card to size, then I stamped on the Nessie stamp using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I cut a mask and placed that over her before stamping on the back layer of waves, also in black. I then removed the mask and stamped a line of waves in blue, then another slightly lower down in silver. I added a couple of splashes on either side of Nessie’s neck in silver and blue. With the stamping complete I got to colouring Nessie. I went with grey, adding a little green to the dots on her back.

At this point I decided the water needed a little more colour. I remembered a crafting pack I’d bought around Easter time had some coloured vellum in it, so I found the blue one and decided to cut that to be the front water. I stamped the waves onto the vellum to give the shape I would need to cut. (The ink I used doesn’t really work on vellum and pretty much rubbed off, but it worked well enough for giving the guideline.) I then placed the vellum on the image to appear like water in front of Nessie.

Adhering the vellum was interesting. This is the first time I’ve used vellum but I’ve watched tutorial videos before in which it was used, and knew that adhesive tends to show through. I decided to use my dotty roller adhesive because it seemed like it would be less obvious. I did a line of that just at the bottom of the image panel and stuck the vellum down over it.

Next I was thinking I would make a frame to put over the image. I figured it would help hide the adhesive. I found some simple patterned paper – a blue grid pattern – that seemed like it would work. I measured the image against it, worked out which lines of the grid I needed to cut along and… cut the wrong lines. Whoops. I didn’t have enough of the paper left to try again so I changed my plan and used the patterned paper behind the image. It doesn’t hide the adhesive but I think it looks good anyway.

I cut a panel of pearlised blue card to be the backing panel and started by stamping my sentiment. I wanted to stamp the sentiment straight onto the card but wasn’t sure how well it would take. My first attempt didn’t work as the “birthday” only half stamped. Rather than trying to realign and stamp over it I span the paper around so that the failed sentiment was at the top and restamped at the bottom. The second attempt was much more successful!

I wanted to add ribbon behind the image as that seemed like it would fit the sketch well. The only problem being I couldn’t find any that seemed suitable. Instead I decided I would use my black and white twine. I wrapped the twine around the base card several times and taped it down on the back.

Then it was just a case of adhering the panels together. I used foam tape on the back of the image panel, lifting it above the twine. The positioning of the image panel also covered the failed sentiment as I’d planned. Then I used my roller adhesive to adhere the whole panel onto the card base.

I’m really happy with how this card turned out. I think it looks amazing! All the components work really well together. Of course there are improvements I could make. Even the second attempt at the sentiment did smudge a little. My colouring is a little rough around the edges. And the adhesive does show through even if it’s only slightly. But honestly, I don’t mind those. I’ve only been making cards since the beginning of the year and I’ve improved steadily. This is definitely one of the best cards I’ve made and I’m very happy with it.

Love,

Lady Joyful