Thursday, August 11, 2022

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:
Doris, I've got your lions! 😎
I was inspired to use the colors yellow and red, the lion and the word Zoo
I used lions

23 comments:

Valérie said...

I love circus and your lion card is adorable! I love the papers you used. Thank you for sharing your beautiful card at AAA Birthday! Take care and keep crafting!
PS: your salad and pie look yummy :)

My name is Erika. said...

Cute card Aimeslee. That circus images are vintage and fun ( vintage images are a favorite of mine) and I do like the red and white background. Those stripes are powerful. And your pie looks yummy. Key lime pie is always good in the warm weather (or any time), and my daughter's favorite so we have it for her birthday every year. And thanks for your last comment on my blog. I really don't care if I win challenges, but I like to support people who join challenges I am connected to, but I didn't know everything you mentioned and that is good to know. Have a great Friday and weekend. hugs-Erika

Donna Walls said...

Fun birthday card and great food! You've just inspired our supper for tonight. Thanks for sharing with us at The Inspiration Station Challenge.
Donna
The Inspiration Station Challenge
The Paper Funday Challenge

Tom said...

...life can be a circus!

Carola Bartz said...

You made a very creative card - I'm sure the receiver will appreciate it very much. Your salad looks refreshing and delicious.

ahlers5 said...

Yes, life is a circus! What a great fun card. I love all four different parts of it. The rain has been so bad here for a couple of weeks. It may actually prevent more bodies from being discovered in Lake Mead!

Alyson Mayo said...

Life truly is a circus! Love the scene you created and yes, this would make a great scene for a younger person card as well. Thanks for sharing with us at Happy Little Stampers :)

Beth Norman-Roberts said...

Cute card! Your drawing of you looking sassy is great!

ahlers5 said...

I cut the paper wrong three times for that sleigh card. I got so frustrated that I finally said the heck with it. It has the paper inside. I wish I would have put it aside and waited to finish it. Live and learn! I'm working on a light up Lighthouse card, seven of them. Tom is going to do the lighting part for me. He's much more meticulous that I am. I need to get a stamp with both our names on it for the back of the card.

Jane said...

Wonderful card Aimslee. you always have such fun and striking ideas. Thanks for playing at AAA Birthday, hope to see you join in with future challenges too. Stay safe and keep crafting!

Andrea @ From The Sol said...

You are so knowledgeable about your art form and your results are wonderful. I clicked to enlarge and it made some of the details you mentioned much more visible. As to whether it is good for a man ... I would say yes, depending on the man. Only you can make that judgement ... but that said a young man or even a child would enjoy it as well, so you have choices :)
As for your food, I love a good salad and often add chicken nuggets on mine as a way to get my protein, but I don't bread my chicken. And the Key Lime with cocoanut ... I am drooling like a fool. A favorite but never tried it with cocoanut. Your whole post is Yummmm, Aimeslee ... and not to forget your self caricature ... love the rolling eyes. You made me smile ...

Andrea @ From the Sol

Elaine aka Ellapu said...

A real cute card. Thank you for sharing your creation with us over at AAA Birthday and we would love to see you in our future challenges
Elaine DT

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Deanne Saunders said...

Love your card!!! And your pie looks delish!! Thanks so much for participating in my ONCE UPON A TIME challenge!!! I appreciate that you play along and I enjoy visiting your blog!! Have a happy crafty day!!
Deanne at A Little Bit O’ Paper

Anonymous said...

So fun!!

Ceal said...

How Fun!! Thanks for staying crafty with us at A Blog Named Hero!

Kathie said...

Aimeslee, this is such a fun card and I know he'll like it. Your wording is perfect and I love the bright colours, especially with the Lions. Great card and thanks so much for sharing it with us over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 and good luck.
Hugs
Kathie SSW2~DT

Hali said...

vERY NICE CARD. tHANKS FOR JOINING vESELA HIŠKA.

Jennifer Kotas said...

Such a fun card! Thanks for playing along with the Stay Crafty Challenge!

Doris Klein said...

What a fun work! And what a clever idea with the sketch! Nice make!

Thanks for playing along with our Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 and good luck!

Hugs and please come back soon!
Doris
Kleido’s BastelStüble
*Owner* Do-Al(l) Kreatives
*Owner*Critter Crazy Challenges
*List Manager* Challenges for Days
*DT* Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2

FinArt said...

This is a verry special designe and vell done with the sketch. Love the end resoult. Thank you for playing with us at Vesela hiška. Janja DT

Valerija said...

Very cute.
Thank you for joining our challenge at Vesela hiška.
Valerija DT

anne said...

A great card which I am sure anyone would love. Loved the commentary on how you made it and the key lime pie looks delicious, the coconut addition sounds interesting.
Thank you for playing along with us at SSW2
Anne SSW2-DT

VEANA R. said...

Amazing card with interesting sketch ! Thanks for joining our Challenge at Happy house. Hugs, Veana r.DT