Time to Shell-A-Brate Birthday Guy Card

A happy hello to you today. Hope all is going well and you are staying cool. We are definitely having the hottest weather of this summer right now...so far. I'm just praying we dodge the hurricane bullet this year. My prayers to all who've been impacted by storms Fred, Grace and Henri.

Today I'm sharing another birthday guy card. I hand-stamped the Woodware lino cut "Oyster Catchers"  for my focal image on watercolor paper. The blue paper is from Colorbok's 12x12 Marble Card Stock pad. The pattern reminded me of pooling swirling tide water and I do like the effect. The round Creative Vision stamped sentiment was punched and it is layered on an Avery Elle Signature seal die cut colored with Wink of Stella Gold. Next to it is a Whimsy seashell die cut painted with Smooch inks and brushed with WoS Gold. I added 2 stars from my stash. Behind it under the image are waves cut with an MFT die. The Shell-A-Brate sentiment was computer-generated by me in PSE, lightly watercolored and layered on paper strips. It's very hard to see, but at the top left of the sky I've adhered 2 flat clouds cut from deli paper using an MFT cloud cover die. So that makes a total of 4 different die cuts and 1 punch used.

   

I was following the sketch as drawn until I got to arranging all my elements on the front before adhering, and realized it would look better to flip the sketch horizontally. Something about the bird on the left lifting her leg a bit. It was like she was saying to me, put the circle sentiment here, lol, so I did! 

I watercolored my stamped focal image by scribbling Distress Crayons on a glass mat and using a waterbrush to dissolve and pick up the color. I made sure to add pink to the horizon and stars and a different shade of pink to the birds. I painted the rocks/pebbles/shells in the image with browns and greys and a darker brown on the birds' wings. I love how it turned out, especially the sky. I very much like a pink horizon for daytime as it gives the impression of light.

  

Inside my card, I have hand-stamped Avery Elle and Woodware sentiments. On the back more of the marbled card stock and a watercolored strip with a stamped MFT siggie.

A close-up - here you can see those flat cloud die cuts better. Oh, forgot to mention, all papers are ink-distressed with Sahara Sand VersaMagic chalk ink.

A close-up to show the glittery Wink of Stella gold shimmer added to the sand dune in the focal image, the seal die cut behind the round sentiment and the sea shell. 

And a final view. This was made for a relative who like to duck hunt, so I am betting he knows what oyster catchers are even though they aren't ducks. Thanks so much for visiting me and I hope we all have a great week! Until next time, Stay Well and Craft On! xoxo

MY CHALLENGES PLAYLIST:

1.   Splitcoaststampers Sketch SC295

2.   Die Cut Divas August: Watercolor Real or Faux -- #1/4 I scribbled Distress Crayons on a glass mat, added water and actually water colored the entire scene! Dies used: Whimsy's Build an Ocean shell, Avery Elle's Signature seal and MFT's Cloud Cover and Making Waves dies.

3.   Color My Heart Color Dare #457: TicTacToe -- #1/xx  I used the middle column: pink (Ballerina), blue (Bluebird), Gold. Then, I also used some brown (Toffee), yellow (Lemonade) and grey (Mink).

4.   Incy Wincy 8/16-9/5: Use a Card Fold Tutorial and/or Animals -- #3/5 Animals: Oyster Catchers (shore birds)

5.   The Male Room #153: 8th Birthday -- #3/xx   

6.   Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge August: AG -- #1/xx  

7.   Stamping Sensations August: Any Celebration -- #3/3 I've hand-stamped and watercolored my focal image.

8.   Crafty Animals #53: AG with an Animal -- #6/xx  Oyster Catchers (shorebirds)

9.   Scrapping 4 Fun #199: More Than 2 Layers -- #2/3

10. Daisy Chain Challenge #55: Boys/Men -- #3/xx

11. MAWTT #133: Summer Fun Only -- #3/3 Being at the seashore is fun! I did not use the colors.  

12. Colour Crazy Craft Challenge Week 32: Ag with Colouring -- #1/2 I've watercoloured my focal image

13. Sweet Stampers #59: Dies and/or Punches -- #1/5 Dies used: round sentiment (punch and die), waves, seashell; I hand-stamped and watercolored my focal image.

14. We Love 2 Create Mixed Media #8: AMMG -- #1/xx Stamping & Watercolor & Paper

15. TTCRD 8/17-8/24: AAG -- #2/2

16. Allsorts Week 637/8: Add Some Sparkle -- #2/3 Sparkle on my round sentiment, seashell and the sand dune in my image

17. Creative Moments #221: AAG -- #1/3

18. Crafty Gals Corner #222: Summer Fun -- #1/3 Being at the seashore is fun!

19. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #164: AAG -- #1/3