Celebration!

Kim Howard, Stampotique's Design Team Coordinator, is the hostess this week at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog. We're celebrating our 200th challenge, so Kim is challenging you to create a celebratory card! Here's what she has to say about her challenge.

"Join us for our 200th challenge this week by celebrating. Create with a celebration, anniversary or best wishes creation. We thank you all for joining us each week at our challenges and hope you have a much fun creating with Stampotique as we do!!!"

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!

Here's my card with Cocoa Bird (Kira Nichols), Baby Cthulhu (Kira Nichols), Happy Lion (Kira Nichols), and Happy Head Appliances (Daniel Torrente).

Cocoa Bird, Baby Cthulhu, Happy Lion, and Happy Head Appliances were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts), colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, edged, with black markers, and set aside while I worked on a background for them.

Aside from making a scene (on my card), one of my favorite ways to use die-cuts is to add them to a scene, then paint over them to add dimension and interest. 

The following words, the champagne bottle, and glasses were die-cut from white cardstock using a variety of different dies from different companies. I'm just going to list the dies below because it's easier!

The die-cut words were adhered to 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock using Matte Glue n' Seal (Ranger). The cardstock was then brushed with a layer of White Media Gesso (DecoArt). When that was dry, Media Modeling Paste (DecoArt) was applied over the star portion of Punchinella Quintet stencil (Joggles) and allowed to dry.

Cerulean Blue, Translucent White, and Primary Magenta Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints were randomly sponged and dabbed over the surface. Primary Yellow and Green Gold MFA paints were stippled here and there to add additional color and interest.

Primary Magenta MFA paint was sponged over the star portion of the Punchinella Quintet stencil and Tranlucent White MFA paint was sponged over the circles portion.

When I was happyish with the background,  Black Pitt Artist pens were used to outline the words to give them more visual weight.

The champagne bottle die was also used to die-cut thin gold foil paper and off-white cardstock. The champagne bottle and champagne glasses die-cuts were colored with Copic markers. The foil was adhered to the neck of the bottle and the off-white die-cut was cut down and doodled with a label from my fictitious winery, The Grapes of Kath. My beloved Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) was used to go over the glass portion of the bottle, the entirety of both glasses, and the Cocoa Bird's beak, talons, Happy Lion's nose, and the eyes of all three creatures.

A craft knife was used to cut slits in the fussy-cut Cocoa Bird, Baby Cthulhu, and Happy Lion so that they could hold the bottle and glasses. The bottles and glasses were adhered to the corresponding creature. Washi tape was added as a grounding element, then Cocoa Bird, Baby Cthulhu, and Happy Lion were adhered to the background. The Happy Head Appliances hats were adhered and Pink, Green, Blue, and Gold Stardust pens (Sakura) were used to add a touch of glitter to the hats pom-poms.

The entire piece was edged with Jet Black StazOn ink (Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts) after sniffing the ink pad, then adhered to a black card.

By the way, Arwen McCullen, one of Stampotique's stamp designers and a dt member, is giving away her Goth Cake stamp. Click here for more information!

I used the following die-cuts.
• "You're" and "party): Handwritten Sentiments (Little B)
• "So": Accessory Words 3 (Frantic Stamper)
• fantastic (Frantic Stamper)
• Enjoy (Cherry Lynn)
• celebrate (Spellbinders?)
• Cheers (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
• Celebrate (Die-Versions)
• laugh (?)
• Champagne Bottle: (Memory Box?)
• Champagne Glass (larger): Cheers Glass Charms (Die-namics)
• Champagne Glass (small): Let's Toast Die-namics)

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Through the Purple Haze Challenges: Bright Colors
• Simon Says Monday Challenges: Don't Cut, Paste
• Stamping Sensations Challenges: Die Cuts and Punches
• We Love to Create Challenges: Anything Mixed Media
• Simon Says Wednesday Challenges: Use your Favorite