WWC267 - Karen's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

Hello and welcome.  This week we are making "masculine" cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I am so pleased to be this week's hostess.  I needed a card for a friend having cancer surgery and I came up with this design.

 Baby Giraffe by Impression Obsession is one of my all time favorite stamps and I thought the sincere look on the giraffe's face could convey my well wishes.

I started by making an A2 top folding card using cold press watercolor paper.  I then heat embossed the giraffe in brown.  I mixed my own water color browns by combining purple with yellow and orange and then went to work painting.  I think the monochromatic colors work well for a man (or woman).   I am pleased with the clean CAS look.

I used a Visible Image sentiment stamp inside "Life can be tough but darling so are you."

UPDATE:  I was so pleased to see that my card was chosen as the "winner" for the Addicted to CAS challenge.

Challenges:

Addicted to CAS: Code Word Animal

As You Like It Challenge: Animals or People  I love to use animals in cards and giraffes are a favorite.  One of my favorite things to do is hand feed giraffes and I have done this at zoos all over the US.  

Always Fun Challenge - CAS  I am excited about this CAS theme!

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - E is for...  Embossing.  I used brown embossing powder for my watercolor giraffe.

I am so pleased you stopped by!

Karen

WWC222 - Helen's "All About Occasions" Challenge

Hello and Happy Wednesday!   This week is "All About Occasions" on the Watercooler Wednesday Website where Helen is our hostess.

I've created a card I really like, in fact I did a series of four of them.   I came up with the idea of watercoloring each of the giraffe's "spots" with two colors and then letting them organically blend.  I knew that giraffes spots are all unique like human fingerprints, so I thought a vibrant rainbow giraffe would be fun to create.

On this card, I started by embossing (Impression Obsession Baby Giraffe) in black on Bristol paper and then selected bright Tombow watercolor hues.  For my series, I changed the look by using gold, black and brown embossing and using watercolors and Tombow markers.  It is impossible to create identical cards.  It reminds me of working with alcohol inks. On this card I also fussy cut the giraffe and made a spotlight background using distress inks (mustard seed,  squeezed lemonade and shimmer spray).

You can see my Clean and Simple Rainbow Giraffe card here.

I am pleased to enter this card in the following:
Craft Stamper's Take It Make It May "Anything Goes" Challenge

Update:  I was so pleased to learn I was selected as Craft Stampers Design Winner!

This is the cover of the August magazine where my card is featured:

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Impression Obsession Rainbow Giraffe

Hello and thank you for stopping by!  I am very excited about this bright fun card!

One of my most used and loved stamps is Impression Obsession Baby Giraffe.  I came up with the idea of watercoloring each "spot" with two colors and then letting them organically blend.  I knew that giraffes spots are all unique like human fingerprints, so I thought a vibrant rainbow giraffe would be fun to create.

I started by embossing in brown on watercolor paper and then selected bright watercolor hues.  I made four cards changing the look with gold and black embossing and whats fun is that it is impossible to create identical cards.  It reminds me of working with alcohol inks. I wanted to keep the design clean and simple so that the focus was on the giraffe with rainbow colors.    I matted on a neutral card base and it is ready to send.

Casology's Africa Challenge - Giraffes are definitely my favorite African animal and I have to say that  I LOVE hand feeding giraffes lettuce leaves.+

Happy Little Stampers "Bright" Watercolor Challenge


Karen

UPDATE:My card was selected: 

WWC218 - Marsha's "All About Occasions" Challenge

 
Thanks for stopping by! This week is Watercooler Wednesday's All About Occasions Challenge.  Marsha is our host.  Head over to the website for further details.

 I started with Lawn Fawn's Perfectly Plaid paper and used a 2 1/2" circle punch near the top of the panel. Then I distressed the edges and around the circle with Seedless Grape Preserves dye ink. 

Next, I stamped Impression Obsession Baby Giraffe, colored with Copic markers and then fussy cut.  I arranged him peeping out of the circle window at a jaunty angle.  I added some flowers from Sunny Studio Tropical Paradise and embossed the birthday sentiment.  I wanted a  bit of dimension so attached the Perfectly Plaid layer to a lavender card base with craft foam and glue.  I added sequins, Wink of Stella on the blooms and horns, and Tonic Nuvo Glaze on the eyes.   I think the giraffe has a lot of personality and I love using this stamp.

I am entering this card in Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen