Let's Shell-ebrate!

Hello! This is Marcia again with The Frolicking Fairy. 

It's Monday and time for another card for Crafty Doodle Chick. I recently got two of Studio Katia's sets from their last release, Mermaid For Each Other and Shell-ebration, and loved the idea of using them together. To continue with the For the Boys Paw-Fect Challenge theme, my goal was to create a fun birthday card using the merman and turtle. I wanted to have the merman holding the gift and the turtle wearing the party hat. Very simple masking made that possible, tucking a scrap of paper over the edge of the hand and bottom of the party hat before stamping the background images. I stamped using VersaFine Onyx Black ink and embossed with clear embossing powder, since I would be coloring the images with Copic markers. I used the same greens for both the merman's tail and the sweet party turtle. I like to keep my color palettes simple, so the scenes flow well and no one element completes with the other.

For the background, I tried a fun new technique of smooshing Distress Oxide inks onto glossy paper, then finishing with Distress Micro Glaze.  Since I do not own any glossy paper shown in most of the tutorials, I used some photo paper I have on hand (and what I've used for alcohol inks as well).  I mushed on Mermaid Lagoon, Broken China, and Blueprint Sketch, drying between applications.  I think I dabbed my paper into ink 5 or 6 times total, then applied a thin layer of micro glaze to the surface.  The result wasn't magic, as seen in the tutorials, but the glaze did clear some of the fogginess away and clean up the surface a bit.  I still love the effect.

I wanted to create a window in the front panel of the card, with the turtle remaining on the inside panel.  So, after cutting the ocean panel down using Lawn Fawn stitched rectangle dies, I used some circle dies in my stash to cut through the ocean panel and the front panel together.  The ocean circle that was cut was then glued down the inside panel of the card, so the ocean would be complete when the card was folded closed.  The ocean panel was glued to the front of the notecard, and the elements added as seen.  I thought the card needed something extra, so I stamped, colored, and cut out the lyre and shells for the card front.  The sentiments, both inside and outside, were stamped on scrap light blue cardstock and embossed in white.  I was careful to layer the "Happy Birthday!" inside the card, so it was hidden behind the "Shell-abrate" sentiment on the card's front.  The turtle, merman, and top shell were all adhered with foam tape for dimension.  

I super adore this card!  I love the cool tones and happy faces.  I think any boy (or girl for that matter) would love this fun card.  Thanks again; I'll be back next Monday with another Crafty Doodle Chick share!  Until then.. xo

 

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