A Clean Challenge

This card is for my friend Joanne's "keep it clean" challenge in the Gina K Designs forum on Splitcoast. The rules are only two layers on the card base and three embellishments. 

So I just HAD to pull out my brand new Gina K set 'Home Tweet Home'. Anyone who knows me will not be surprised to learn this was on my first stamp order from Gina K...I love birds and I have a bird house collection.  :)

I stamped the image with Memento black onto Sahara Sand cardstock...I really liked the look of pencils on kraft cardstock on my Blue Shoe Mojo card, so I was thinking of doing something along those lines. Next I decided on a patterned paper...I ended up with a piece from my Basic Grey Periphery 6x6 paper pad. I let the colours in the paper guide my colour choices for the image. 

I used my Lyra pencils, odourless mineral spirits and a stump to colour the image. I have to say, I'm not entirely thrilled with how bright the blue came out, but there isn't a nice light blue in my set of 72 pencils (really, there isn't)...hmmm...do I need more already?!?{grin!} Once it was all coloured I cut it out with a scallop nestie and sponged some Close to Cocoa around the edges. 

The card base is Always Artichoke. I also sponged around the edge of the card with Always Artichoke, to give it a bit of a shadow on the outer edges. Once I tore the patterned paper, I found the white core too bright so I sponged both Cocoa and Artichoke to tone it down, then I distressed the bottom edge of the card base for more texture. 

The ribbon is SU chocolate felt and I tied in the blue on the image with a blue button and some linen thread. Once it was all put together I pierced along the ribbon and around the image.

There you have it, one card base, two layers, three embellishments...a handmade card, priceless.  :) 

Hmph...I've just realized...this is one of only two cards I've made lately that doesn't use any Gina K pure luxury cardstock at all...not even as a card base. The ironic part is that this one is for a challenge in the Gina K forum. LOL! Hope they don't hold it against me!   :) 

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen