Ringmaster Birthday

 Hi there! Hope all is well with you and yours.

This birthday card for one of our guy friends was at the top of my UFAP (UnFinished Art Projects) box lid stack from last year. And I've been working to reduce the stack, so this was next. I could no longer remember the original plans beyond the focal image, so I hunted for a sketch, stamps and additional papers.

 

The sketch I chose is the current Sketch #235 at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2. The optional twist is to include lions, so I was like, must be love, right? (Plus, two more challenges, so I Googled and saw today was World Lion Day!) I did end up rotating the sketch and wonking the two matted elements a bit crooked to make it look a little more offbeat. 

I used a light tan 6x6 card base I already had with golden yellow SU mats and MFT chevron/ric rac die cut. The two-toned chartreuse green card was in the same papers as the focal image. I got the red and white striped card from Carta Bellas's Circus pack. I hand-stamped all the sentiments you see using Pink Persimmon, QK and Elizabeth Craft stamps. I stamped them with Rain Forest Versafine Clair ink. When dry, I went over the middle of each letter with a Sakura Gold Shadow pen. The I outlined each letter using a dark green Zebra Sarasa gel pen. I have several different sized stars already die cut using various dies, so I chose some and colored them with either Distress Markers or the Gold Shadow pen. I arranged them on the front, layering the 3 star sketch elements at lower right.

This is the original 5x7" sheet that I used for my focal image, from Anna Griffin's Riley paper collection. I cut it down as much as possible to fit on the sketch. (I used the top seal portion on the back of the card.) 

I wanted to use red and yellow as main colors, so just one problem: the colors on the image were pink and yellow. So, out came my Festive Berries Distress Marker to color over the pink, as shown above. The left side curve was made using a Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside die.

I created a framed sentiment poem in PSE and printed out on Rocket Red 45-lb. copy paper for the inside of the card.

I combined another sheet from the Carta Bella pack with the seal portion of the Riley paper I cut off from the front. I also colored all the pink parts red with my Distress Markers. I stippled my stamped and punched siggie with Distress Shabby Shutters before adding to the back. 

Here's the final view. I took this shot at an angle to show the metallic shine with the Gold Shadow gel penning. I would love your honest opinion as to whether you think this looks too juvenile to give a grown man. I guess I'm a bit worried about that. After I finished it, I thought that could easily be an illustration in a children's book but it never occurred to me the whole time I was making the card. So now I don't know what to think. Sheesh! 😕

Thursday is also time for Rain's Thursday Art & Dinner Date. This week the art topic is Cartoons and Caricatures, featuring her awesome drawings. She did a great caricature of herself. I've shared above the only time I ever attempted anything like that was this drawing I did quite a few years ago. I worked from a photo where I was giving that look. I was younger and my hair was longer! My card has a drawing of a circus ring which could be considered cartoonish. And again, the coincidence was not planned! 

Rain featured a refreshing Watermelon Agua Fresca drink for her food and my offering is a summertime dinner that I have often: Chicken Nugget Salad with Ranch dressing and whatever fresh crunchies we have in the fridge. Easy peasy! This week I added green pepper slices and Parmesan cheese. I bake the frozen bagged nuggets in the toaster oven and add to the salad warm. Very tasty and filling. 

Then, for dessert:

This Coconut Key Lime Pie is a no-bake bit of heaven. We followed the recipe except for 2 things: we used ReaLime juice instead of limes and we used a prepared graham cracker crust, then toasted some flaked coconut and sprinkled very liberally on top as garnish and that makes the pie coconuttier in my opinion, which is our preference. 

Okay, that's it from me today. Thanks for the visit, stay safe and have a great day! XOX

MY CHALLENGE PLAYLIST:

SSW2 August Challenge Sketch #235

Doris, I've got your lions! 😎

Once Upon a Time Challenge #1: Dear Zoo

I was inspired to use the colors yellow and red, the lion and the word Zoo

Inspiration Station Challenge #35: Animal Kingdom

I used lions

AAA Birthday Challenge Game 40: Anything Birthday Goes

Happy Little August Birthday Challenge

Hero Arts Stay Crafty Challenge: It's Hip to be Square

Vesela Hiska Happy House Challenge #33-The Square

Rabisco Challenge: Anniversary Scribble #4