Flowers and a Dancing Ostrich

Carol Fox is hosting this week's challenge over at Stampotique Designer's Challenges. Her challenge theme Flowers.  Here's what she has to say about her challenge:

"Spring is just around the corner in the UK. So share with me a project with flowers in it".

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!!! Remember to check to see the deadline for all of this month's Stampotique Designers Challenges!

Here's my card with Olive the Ostrich (Karen Hayselden).

Since I knew that fussy-cutting Olive would be almost impossible, so I decided to create a background first, then stamp her.

140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore) was cut to be ~2.5" wide, then sponged with Spun Sugar Distress ink (Ranger) and heat set. Spun Sugar and Wild Honey Distress inks were sponged over Flower Frenzy stencil (The Crafters Workshop).

Olive was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) and colored with Copic markers. I was trying to channel my inner Karen Hayselden with Olive's face. I'm not sure if I succeeded. The edges of the panel were tattered with the Paper Distressing tool (Tonic).

At this point, I wasn't sure how I felt about the color combinations and about how looked, so I repeated the above process, but substituted Angel Pink Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) for the Wild Honey Distress ink. 

While the ink was drying, I decided to search through my stash of Basic Grey patterned papers and discovered that the color palette of the Gypsy/Romani collection worked well with the original Olive, so I set aside the alternate stamped panel for another time.

The image panel was matted with the solid blue from the Gypsy/Romani pack, then layered atop a card front cut from one of the more busy floral papers from the collection. This layer was then distressed. Floral-patterned washi tape was placed across the bottom of the card front to ground Olive. Rub-on words from the Life Quotes Remnant Rubs sheet (Idea-ology) were added to the washi tape.

Blue patterned paper was die-cut with one of the dies from the Decorative Borders die set (All Occasions) and one of the dies from the Classic Circles Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders). Orange patterned paper was die-cut with a Circle Tag die (QuicKutz). Pink patterned paper was punched with my favorite heart punch (Hyglo). The tag was assembled and a rub-on (QuicKutz) was added. The tag sentiment was added to the card front.

Olive's beak was coated with several layers of Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) to add dimension and shine. When I was satisfied with the gloss factor, Media Liquid Glass (DecoArt) was added to Olive's eyes, which did not hurt her a bit! The card front was put aside so that the Media Liquid Glass would dry, then adhered to a card formed from the leftover piece of blue patterned paper.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Ooh La La Creations Challenges: Anything Goes with a Sentiment
• Not Just Cards Challenges: Anything Goes
• Crafting When We Can Challenges: Washi Tape