Celebrating Lucky Shamrocks on Friday the 13th

 Hello there! It's Friday the 13th on top of everything else. A little hard to believe and yet here we are! Haha, glad it's only a day...we won't mention the Ides of March, nonono! ;-)

I finally got my focus in gear and churned out a couple of St. Patty's cards. I am sharing the first one in this post and the second one in the next post. I followed The Sketch Saturday sketch #600 to make an A2 sized card that will be mailed.

 I will edit this post and add more details later, but for now, here are the photos.

Okay, I'm back to add details! This card! I'm very happy with it. I tried something new, don't know if it's a technique per se, don't think so, but I basically tried to recreate the patterned paper on the card base. I printed it out on my ink jet, sized it in PSE and there was none to spare when I later wanted to put some of the paper on the die cut vertical element behind the young woman. So that's what I recreated to look like it was more of the paper. And I think I came pretty darn close! What do you think?

I've had a Green Pepper Press baroque swirl stamp for a long time and I love the design it stamps. When I was looking at the Gecko Galz papers I could print, the one I ended up printing caught my eye I think because of that stamp. Anyhoo, I die cut a piece of thick Recollections card stock using my Labels die, then I stamped on the Label in VersaMark, then I spooned on some American Crafts white opaque Zing embossing powder and the melt was so thick and opaque! After it cooled, I pulled out my Ranger Archival Library green pad and using my blending brush, I inked the die cut. Then I took a cloth and rubbed the ink off the embossing. But THEN, I blended some Palette Haystack ink on the embossing and on the white design of my paper. This is a light wheat color, perfect to just shabby it up a bit and I let it dry a good while before rubbing with my cloth, so hardly any came off.

The inside features an Impression Obsession die cut that I'd never cut before. I thought I was going to have to throw it away when I was beginning to lay it down after glueing the back with tacky glue, but it miraculously untwisted as I went along pressing and spacing it down on the card stock. I usually take a folded paper towel and press down on the die cut, then pull up. This picks up the excess glue for me most of the time. Just press for a moment though or you could glue your towel down.

Here is the back of the card. I supplemented the patterned paper with a few sheets of Basic Grey Eva. This is my last piece of this pattern. I've used it for St. Pat cards in previous years.

A close-up to show the glitter on the shamrocks. The big one is a Sizzix die cut. I colored it green with a ProMarker, Stickle-outline it and then painted more Stickles on the leaves in a lighter green. I painted the tiny shamrocks as well.

A close-up of that gorgeous opaque embossing, yum!

Ad here you can see the complement of the paper and embossing, close enough to fool the eye. And I love how the big shamrock glitter catches the light constantly.

Thanks for the visit! I'll be posting again today with another card so come back by! XXO

CHALLENGES:
1.   Sketch Saturday #600 -- sketch shown above
2.   Gecko Galz March Customer Blog Challenge: Once Upon a Springtime -- I've used an image and sentiment from Blarney collage sheet, and digital paper from It's Not Easy Being Green Paper Pack. 

3.   Gecko Galz March Facebook Challenge:  Spring Theme -- I've used an image and sentiment from Blarney collage sheet, and digital paper from It's Not Easy Being Green Paper Pack.

4.   More Mixed Media March: AG + Opt. Green -- I have played the option!
5.   Rainbow March Card Challenge: Especially Emerald 

6.   Cut It Up #195: Green with Envy -- I've used green and the following dies: large glittered Sizzix shamrock, tiny Memory Box shamrocks, Spellbinders Labels Four Nestie for the vertical element behind the lovely lass. 
7.   Paper Girls #195: Glitter - I used Stickles Shamrock Green glitter glue with a little Green Tinsel ep mixed in.
8.   Classic Design Challenge #3: AG
9.   Scrapping4Fun #162: AG + Opt. Add Flowers -- I played the option with shamrocks.
10.  Outlawz Monday Greetings + Green Reigns
11.  Outlawz Thursday Twist: AG + Make your own holiday card -- St. Patrick's Day
12.  Paper Funday #15: AG + Opt. St. Pats -- I have played the option
13.  Double D Challenge: All About the Green  --