Mardi Gras Birthday Party Pig

Heck Yeah, it's Love Day! Howdy, friends! You know that squealing pig in the Geico commercials? This Party Pig digital image from Beccy's Place reminds me of him. I think they are cousins or something, lol. I saw this image and had to have it, then it psyched me out from using for the longest until I realized he'd make a perfect Mardi Gras pig!

   

I used SplitCoastStampers Sketch #781 from December 2019, resizing it to 6x6 in my PSE computer program before printing out.

I cannot ever remember making a Mardi Gras card, probably because I have never really had time to since it's usually between Valentines and my birthday. I have a family member with a birthday a few days before Fat Tuesday (which is on Feb. 25 this year), so I decided to make it my theme for his card. People in my neck of the woods know and celebrate this holiday rooted in the Catholic observance of Lent. In fact, an hour down the coast from me in Galveston, it's a huge event second only to New Orleans. Mardi Gras in French means Fat Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday) in English: the day we eat high on the hog (so to speak lol) because the next day Ash Wednesday begins the 40 days of Lenten fasting/sacrifice.

I went with the more or less official color trio of Mardi Gras: gold for power, purple for justice and green for faith. The pig was printed out on white Springhill 110# index stock and colored mainly with ProMarkers along with wax colored pencils in some areas.

 I constructed a little stage scene on the card front using various fussy-cut stamps in my stash and creating a mixed media background, which I'll describe later in the post. I used a purple patterned card stock from Colorbok's Marbled pad as my 6x6" card base. I cut a 5.5"-square of Recollections thick 110# cover stock, stamped an Avery Elle woodgrain background stamp on the bottom with VersaFine Claire ink and clear-heat-embossed. I used another Avery Elle background stamp of little bubble circles at the top, stamping with Delicata gold ink and heat-embossed in gold ep. The La Blanche curtain stamps were colored with a purple Sparkle Pen and then details were defined using a black wax pencil to trace the stamped lines in the curtains. The oval checkerboard floor (I think it's a 100 Proof Press but not for sure) was stamped in VersaMark and embossed with gold ep, then Hero Arts Neon Green ink was blended on with a finger dauber. I used a Lawn Fawn banner die cut and stamp for the Hero Arts sentiment.

 On the inside of the card, I cut two mats using a Spellbinders Labels die. The Beccy's sentiment on the left was printed out before die cutting. On the right I've used Stamplorations sentiments. I blended Hero Arts Neon Yellow, Neon Green and Neon Purple inks, then outlined each mat with the purple Sparkle Pen. Finally, I used the Sparkle Pen to create splatters!

The back of the card features a piece of Junkitz plaid patterned card stock. I wanted to use it but needed to add more of the Mardi Gras colors to it, so I stenciled on it using the Hero Arts Neon inks and a Sheena Douglass by Crafters Companion 7x7" Crazy Perspectives stencil. I added two strips of washi tapes from my stash and topped them with a Lawn Fawn siggie stamped on a Clear Dollar stamps label die cut.

  

Here is what the Junkitz card stock looked like before adding the Neon inks. I used the green Frogtape to secure the stencil.

Now, to continue the background: After I stamped the woodgrain floor, I masked it with some of the green Frogtape. Then I stood the card up in my spray box and sprayed some Adirondack Purple Twilight Color Wash and then some Adirondack Meadow Green Color Wash. I let it run and drip, then I used my heat gun to dry it before putting it back in the box and spraying the middle with Dylusions Lemon Zest yellow.

Love how the yellow splattered in the middle, but some of it dripped down onto the woodgrain floor under the Frogtape. Plus, when I pulled off the Frogtape, I guess because the card stock was damp, some of it tore a bit. But I was able to tack it back down with some glue stick. I then added some yellow Promarker here and there on the floor, then blended in with brown ProMarker. Especially with the checkerboard rug added you can't even see the boo-boos. I used a black ProMarker on the top and bottom to make it look a bit grungy where the purple and green inks had pooled and soaked in over the Frogtape. I realize I could have avoided this by just stamping the woodgrain floor on another piece and adhere it on top of the inky one. But no, that would be too easy, haha! Plus, I think it gives the floor some "character"... like an old dance floor that has seen lots of hooves in its time!

 Close-up to show shimmer and shine... I added some sequins around the pig, which is adhered using lots of little foam squares.

 And another....

 And the pig needs a close-up!

I hope you got a little kick out of my card today. Thanks very much for dropping by and I wish you Galentine Well Wishes and Valentine Kisses! XOX

CHALLENGES:
1.   SplitCoastStampers Sketch 781 -- Sketch shown above
2.   Beccy's Place February Challenge: AG using Beccy's image + opt. twist: Animals
3.   2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge #35: AG with a Critter -- PIG
4.   Time Out Challenge #155: Birthdays Quotation Inspiration 

5.   613 Avenue Create #230: AG + Opt. Banners & Bows -- Option played: the sentiment's on a banner and the curtains have bow ties. :-)

6.   Outlawz Festive Friday Feb. 7-20: Birthday Theme   

7.   Country View Challenges Feb: Splatters, Splashes and Drips -- I used my spray inks on the background layer and splattered my Sparkle Pen on the inside sentiment mats, all as shown in my post.

8.   A Vintage Journey Feb. Challenge: Against the Grain -- I included a stamped, colored, inked wood floor in my little card scene.

9.   Cutie Pie Challenge #144: Cute and Cuddly Animals -- PIG

10. Paper Girls #193: Birthdays

11. AAA Birthday: Game #10 - Cute