Watercooler Wednesday Challenge 141 – Heidi’s Masculine “Anything Goes” Challenge

This week at Watercooler Wednesdays Heidi is hosting our challenge, which is an anything masculine goes challenge.  I made this birthday card a few weeks ago and hadn’t been very happy with it at the time. But as I was thinking about what to do for this challenge I came across the card again. Having had a bit of time away from it I realised that actually it wasn’t so bad at all, and would do nicely for this challenge!

I started by stamping a pattern of hats from the Lawn Fawn Hats Off To You stamp set all over a piece of watercolour paper. I tried to be fairly random with the stamping, whilst ensuring that each type of hat was well represented. I then started colouring all the images using my watercolour markers. The ones I have are by MozArt. I applied the colour in the areas that I wanted shadow, then used a water brush to spread it. I tried to avoid doing areas that were next to ones I had just painted, in order to minimise bleeding. I also tried to limit my colour palette, whilst still having different colours to the hats. For example I used the same green for the main area of the witch’s hat as I used on the band of the pilgrim’s hat. Once I had coloured all the hats I took a very light blue and filled in the background in its entirety.

After letting the panel dry completely I trimmed it down to make the panel for my card base. I had had several areas of bleeding, as well as some areas that didn’t stamp well, so I tried to select the area that looked best. I then cut two narrow strips of blue mirror card and adhered them to the top and bottom of the panel, to give the impression of a mat.

I knew I wanted to use a kraft card base, but it seemed a bit plain as it was. I used the Birthday Collage embossing folder from Darice to emboss the card base in order to add some interest to it. I then used double sided tape to adhere the painted panel to the card base.

Next I wanted to add a sentiment on a circle. I wanted it to go on the painted panel but didn’t want to hide the detail there. I decided to use a circle of vellum, which I backed with double sided tape before die cutting. I stamped “hats off to” from the Lawn Fawn stamp set onto the circle, then added “you” die cut from the same blue mirror card using Sizzix Friendship Expressions thinlits. I used my glue pen to adhere it in place.

I also added “Happy Birthday” on the inside of the card. The “happy” was also die cut with one of the Friendship Expressions thinlits from the blue mirror card, whilst the “birthday” came from the stamp set.

As I said, I initially didn’t like this card. In hindsight I think that had more to do with having got so frustrated with all the mishaps along the way rather than any fault of the card itself. Since allowing myself a bit more breathing room from it I am actually happy with how it turned out. It’s quite different as birthday cards go, and indeed if it weren’t for the birthday-specific embossing this card could probably be used for a variety of celebratory occasions!

Love,

Lady Joyful

Challenges included:

HLS Anything Goes With Dies – Anything Goes With Dies

HLS Watercolour Challenge – Anything Goes

Seize The Birthday – Anything Goes

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge – Anything Masculine Goes

 

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Check out what the rest of the DT made:

Charlotte (that’s me!)

Gail

Heidi

Judy

Kath

Libby

Marsha

Penny