CongRats - A Retirement Card

It's Thursday, which means it's time to post the second card that I created as October's Guest Designer for Topflight Stamps! It's a retirement card for my husband, who retired last week. When I first saw Katzelkraft's Les Rats des Villes - City Rats Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set, I knew that eventually I'd be making this card.

Here my card with Katzelkraft's Les Rats des Villes - City Rats and Les Drôles Accessoires-Funny Accessories  Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp sets.

Topflight Stamps Products Used:
Katzelkraft's Les Rats des Villes - City Rat Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp set
Les Drôles Accessoires-Funny Accessories Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp set
Onyx Black VersaFine™ ink by Tsukineko®

Other Products Used:
Solar White Classic Crest® Cardstock by Neenah Papers
Tuxedo Black Memento™ ink by Tsukineko®
Copic® Markers:
   Rat Fur: E30, E31, N0, N1, N2, N3. N4, N5, BV000, BV20, C3, C4, C6, C6, C7
   Rat Ears, Paws, and Tails: BV000, BV20, R00, R11
   Rat Eyes: B21, B23. YG01, YG03, Y13, Y19
   Podium: W00, W1. Y000, E21. E23, E37
   Track: E13, E15
   Stands: B60, N1, N3
   Crowd: Y11, Y13, Y19, YG07, R24 ,R59, B04, B06
   Trees: G24, G85
   Sky: C4, B21
Clear Glaze® 3D Glossy Gel Pen by Sakura
Black and blue cardstock by Bazzill Basics Paper®
Black Soot Tim Holtz®Distress® ink by Ranger Industries
Speech Bubble Die set by Spellbinders®
Mixed Messages Clear Stamp Set by Paper Trey Ink
Banner Stamp by Stampotique
Glitter Alphabet Stickers by Making Memories

Instructions:

1. Three rats from the Les Rats des Villes - City Rats Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto white cardstock, fussy-cut, colored with Copic markers, then edged with a dark marker to get rid of those nasty white edges. The rats' eyes and teeth were coated with several layers of Clear Glaze® 3D Glossy Gel Pen to add dimension and shine. 
2. The winners' podium from Katzelkraft's Les Drôles Accessoires-Funny Accessories Red Rubber Stamp set was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto white cardstock. It also was fussy cut, colored with Copic markers, and edged with a dark marker.
3. The rats and the podium were set aside while I worked on the background. They kept each other amused while I toiled. 
4. I googled track and field race tracks, found a suitable free photo, downloaded it, then used PhotoElements to change it from color to a black and white charcoal background, which was lightened quite a bit before being printed onto Copic friendly cardstock using my laser printer. The background image was colored with Copic markers, softened even more with the colorless blender, then trimmed to be used as the card front.
5. The banner was stamped with Memento ink, colored, fussy-cut, edged, then adhered to the background card front. 
6. Glittery letter stickers were added to spell out "CongRats".
7. The card front was edged with Black Soot Distress ink, then matted with black cardstock.
8. Light blue cardstock was die-cut with a small speech bubble die twice and the tiny sentiments were stamped with Onyx Black VersaFine ink onto them. VersaFine ink always gives a wonderful clean impression when stamping small and/or detailed stamps.
9. The winners podium and the rats were adhered to the card front and the tiny speech bubbles were added. 
10. The card front was then mounted onto a 5x7 blue card.

BTW, Some links in this post are affiliate links which do not affect the price you pay but allow me to earn a small percentage of a sale. Thanks! If you shop at Topflight Stamps, please use my coupon code, KATHIREREK855, for 10% off your order.

Thanks for visiting today!