Encouragement tag meets song challenge

Stampotique Designers Challenge is holding a challenge where your project is inspired by a song. I was driving along trying to figure out a good tag/card to give my fil, who is in the hospital recovering from surgery. As is sometimes the case with surgery, recuperation is a few steps forward, a couple back. He's in need of encouragement, so I decided that I should make a goofy kitty card. After all, who can resist a goofy kitty?

Just then, Hang On Sloopy by theMcCoys came on the Oldies station. And just like that, the idea for this tag came to mind even though the song has nothing to do with people in the hospital. At all. Go check it out on You Tube, if this doesn't work. It's very catchy.

Anyways, here's the tag.



The cats are from the Stampotique stamp called Line Up, which is brand new to me. This is my first time playing with it and I'm in love! The stamp is row of four goofy kitties and is very versatile because you can use one cat, two cats, three cats, or all four. Gotta love that. The stamp came from SCACD, but it's sold out right now. BUT, there are lots of other Stampotique stamps available and some of 'em are even on sale.

I stamped the kitties using Black Tuxedo Memento Ink, colored 'em with Copic markers, and fussy cut them. I added Glossy Accents to the two cats whose eyes were open. The little cat on the left is a lovebug cat, purring with contentment. I know these things because I am a Cat Whisperer. Thought you'd want to know. So, back to it. I set the little kitties aside so that their Glossy Accented eyes would dry out of harm's way.

While they were drying, I took an idea from another project of mine (coincidentally using a Stampotique stamp called Angel), grabbed some old rather plain patterned paper from an old Lost & Found 6x6 pad by My Mind's Eye, and attacked it with After Midnight, Cut Grass, London Blue, Pure Sunshine, Funky Fuschia Dylusions Sprays, and several Mini-Mister-fills of water. I learned a little bit from my last foray and popped up a hand flat post office box to catch the overspray and also had a mess of plain white paper and tags handy to mop up the excess ink. When I got the look I wanted, I sprayed on some of the newest must-have White Linen and spread it around with my fingers. All of the sprayed papers were heat set, then squished under a bunch of heavy boxes to flatten 'em.

The next step was to die cut a piece of white cardstock using the Orchard Tree Frame by Memory Box. I cut the branches that I wanted and colored them with Copic markers.

By then, everything was dry and flat, so I cut the Dylusioned MME patterned paper to tag size, roughed up the edges, and sponged on Gathered Twigs and Black Soot Distress inks. The three cats were adhered and a computer-generated sentiment was added. I sponged Gathered Twigs Distress ink over a new Wood-Grain Prima stencil onto Kraft cardstock, which I used to mat the tag. I punched a hole in the top, threaded some ancient paper raffia that I colored with Copic markers to be all matchy matchy through said hole, then stapled them on when I discover that paper raffia rips. I added some hemp twine and a silver heart charm and called it done.

Sorry that I didn't record the Copic markers I used. Bad, bad me.

I shall be entering this tag in the following challenges AND giving it to my fil on Sunday with a contraband dark chocolate bar. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants which are good for your heart.

• Stampotique Designers Challenge #90: Song Inspiration
• Simon Says Challenge Blog: A Bit Of Green
• Crafty Creations Challenges: #212: Use Green
• Through The Craftroom Door: Anything Goes
• • Use It Tuesday #50: Use an Uninked Stamp
• Southern Girl Challenges #64: Tag! You're it!