Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Bahama Woodstar

The Mod Squad Challenge Blog has a new challenge starting today. I am your Host for this challenge and I hope you'll come and play along with us. The challenge is called Spring Forward. I know the whole country is buried in snow and freezing temperatures, so let's look forward to Spring and show us what you think Spring is all about. This challenge is open to interpretation...I'd like to see butterflies, hummingbirds, lots and lots of flowers and wonderful, bright colors. Whatever you want to make.

Our sponsor this week is Sparkle N Sprinkle. The prize is any digital image or set up to $15. Be sure to check out their Made In USA rubber stamps and glitter too!

http://sparklensprinkle.com/o/ 

If you use a Sparkle N Sprinkle image, you get 2 entries. Just add MSC in front of your link name.



I am using Sparkle N Sprinkle's Bahama Woodstar digital stamp for my card.  I love this hummingbird. I printed the image on white card stock and colored it using Copic markers (bird - E23, V15, V17, BG11, BG45 - I used the kiss technique to blend the blues and purples together; leaves - YG11, YG13; flowers - Y15, Y19, YR04, YR09, RV23, RV25). The image when then mounted onto melon mamba card stock and then another piece of white card stock. I then used foam tape to adhere this piece to my background, which I made. This is called the bokeh technique. Most people are familiar with it being used in photography, but it's become hugely popular in the stamping world. 

To create the background, I used melon mamba, tangerine tango and daffodil delight inks from Stampin' Up! and a finger sponge dauber. I didn't pay too much attention to where the colors were going, but just wanted to get all three colors down onto the white card stock. I will tell you, I did not like this background until AFTER I did the bokeh technique. I created my own stencil using my Silhouette Cameo. I had 3 different sizes of circles, some going off the page and then cut this out using clear transparency paper. It worked out great. Then, using another finger sponge dauber, I took white pigment ink from Stampin' Up! and dabbed into the circles. Do not swirl your dauber because it will pink up the dye ink and turn your sponse and your ink pink and other colors. Once I had the circles filled to the way I wanted them, I used my heat gun to dry that layer. For the final layer, I was going to use the dauber filled with white pigment ink and place them randomly, but I was not getting nice, crisp circles. So, I took my stencil and used the smallest circles and dabbed really concentrated amounts of ink on top. I was so happy with the way it came out looking, even though I didn't like the background originally. I placed this background onto white card stock and then onto a melon mamba card stock base. Finally, I added a couple of pink crystals onto the focal image and a very small black crystal for the hummingbird's eye.

I hope you will join us at The Mod Squad Challenge Blog and show us your interpretation of Spring!!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:



15 comments:

  1. This turned out SO bright and beautiful, and it looks like it was professionally painted. Great job, and thanks SO MUCH for sharing in our challenge. I'm grateful to have you share your talents with us.
    Karen
    Word Art Wednesday

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  2. Susan, I love this card that is so bright and cheerful! Your coloring is awesome and love how surrounding the image is CAS - it really highlights it. The background paper is awesome - I am not familiar with the bokeh technique but sure would love to learn it! Thank you for joining us at http://7kidschallengeblog.blogspot.com! Good luck and hope to see you at the next challenge. Heads up... to win the gift certificate you must use an image from the store. xoxoxox

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  3. I love your bokeh background - must give this a try. Thanks for playing at AAA Cards.

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  4. LOVE the Bokeh effect - I am addicted to it! Love your bright colors too v- fabulous card~ Thanks for joining in at AAA!

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  5. What a gorgeous card and love the bokeh effect background too. Bright and cheery and great colors on it. And, the focal image is awesome too. So well colored. I doubt I will be joining any challenges. Just not feeling well enough yet!

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  6. What a beautiful card! The background is stunning! Thank you so much for joining us at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. Hugs, Sandra

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  7. Great card! I love all the bright colors :) Thanks for sharing with us at Party Time Tuesdays!
    Sara
    www.PolkaDotRosie.blogspot.com

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  8. Gorgeous and bright, great card! Thanks so much for joining in the challenge of 'Anything Goes' at Digi Choosday Challenge Blog! Yvonne (DT)

    www.digichoosday.blogspot.co.uk

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  9. Gorgeous! Love how bright and cheery the colors are! Great design. Thanks for sharing with us at SCT.

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  10. Such a beautiful card! I love the bokeh effect!

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  11. Well done! Love your bokeh effect. I just made Easter cards with that kind of bkg. Very colorful, thanks for playing AAA Cards. Cheers, Victoria

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  12. This is Lovely..Thank you for sharing with us at Digi Choosday. Good luck, and hope to see you again soon.

    Caz DC DT xx
    My Blog
    Pennys Paper-Crafty DT
    Digi Choosday DT
    Creative Craft Cottage DT

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  13. Gorgeous Card! I love the colors and the details. Thank you for sharing your beautiful work with Through the Craftroom door this week.

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  14. I love the striking background you created and the vibrant colors just make me long for spring warmth even more! Beautiful card!

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