Don't Worry About a Thing...

I missed my Tuesday post for Topflight Stamps, so it's up on Sunday instead. I started my project on  Sunday night as crafty therapy/hopeful wishes before a semi-scary thing that was scheduled for Monday. The rest of the story follows my instructions in the Notes section.

This past week, my teammates and I showcased inks. I decided to use my beloved VersaFine Clair Inks to create almost every aspect of the card. I also used the Don't Worry Clear Stamp Set from the Art By Marlene Signature Collection for Studio Light and stencils from both Studio Light and AALL and Create.

Here's the card.

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Don't Worry Clear Stamp Set from the Art By Marlene Signature Collection for Studio Light

Music Notes Grunge 6x6 Stencil by Studio Light

Cheerful, Summertime, Charming Pink, Green Oasis, Warm Breeze, Paradise, Blue Belle, and Nocturne VersaFine Clair Inks by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko
Totally Dotty Stencil by AALL and Create

Other Products Used:

140 lb. Bristol Paper by Strathmore

Solar White Classic Crest Cardstock by Neenah Papers

91% Isopropyl Alcohol

Mister

Light and Dark Brown Zig Clear Color Markers by Kuretake

White Gelly Roll Gel Pen by Sakura of America

C10 Copic Marker

Acetate

Pointy Cosmetic Swabs

Craft Mat

STAY-tion by Wendy Vecchi for Ranger Ink

Stamping Platform

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of white cardstock to 9" x 6.5". Score at 4.5" and fold to form a 4.5" x 6.5" card. Set aside.
2. Cut a piece of white cardstock to 4" x 6". 
3. Ink the panel of white cardstock with Cheerful VersaFine Clair Ink. 
4. Brush Summertime VersaFine Clair Ink over the Music Notes Grunge 6x6 Stencil.
5. Brush Charming Pink randomly over parts of the stencil.
6. Lift the stencil and heat set the panel.
7. Smoosh Warm Breeze VersaFine Clair Ink onto a craft mat and mist with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol.*
8. Load a paint brush with the diluted ink. Tap the paint brush to splatter the ink onto the background panel. 
9. Heat set and put aside.
10. Use Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and a stamping platform to stamp the sentiments from the Don't Worry Clear Stamp Set from the Art By Marlene Signature Collection onto the background panel.
11. Heat set the panel.
12. Edge the panel with a C10 Copic Marker.
13. Add black polka dot and skinny music print Washi tape to the base of the panel. Set the panel aside.
14. Smoosh Green Oasis, Paradise, and Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Inks onto a craft mat and mist with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol until the inks run together.
15. Dip a panel of Bristol Paper into the puddles, then heat set.  
16. Smoosh Cheerful VersaFine Clair Ink onto a piece of acetate, mist with the alcohol, and press the ink onto the panel to add touches of yellow to the background. 
17. Heat set.
18. Use Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink to stamp one of the birds from the Don't Worry Clear Stamp Set from the Art By Marlene Signature Collection onto the inked paper. 
19. Heat set.
20. Fussy-cut the bird.
21. Once again smoosh Cheerful, Warm Breeze, Green Oasis, and Paradise VersaFine Clair Inks onto the craft mat and mist with alcohol. 
22. Use pointy cotton swabs to apply the diluted ink to the bird.
23. Use brown Zig watercolor markers to color the bird's beak. 
24. Use a black marker to deepen the color of the bird's pupils and to get rid of the white edges on the fussy-cut bird. 
25. Use White gel pen to highlight the bird's beak and add catchlights to his pupils.
26. Adhere the bird to the background panel set aside at the end of Step 13.
27. Retrieve the white reserved white card from Step 1.
28. Sponge Warm Breeze and Paradise VersaFine Clair Inks around the periphery of the white card. 
29. Brush Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink over the Totally Dotty Stencil onto the sponged card. 
30. Adhere the card front to the stenciled and inked card.

Notes:

• When using alcohol, bleach, or any other solvent, be sure to have a window open to adequately ventilate the room. 
• Since VersaFine Clair is a pigment ink and will stain, you can use the same alcohol or hand sanitizer to clean your stencils, surfaces, and stamping platform.
• My master plan was to complete the post on Monday evening, when I knew that everything had come out all right. However, as happens, life threw a curveball, followed by a change-up pitch. The the curveball refers to a heart ablation procedure on my husband. This was his second of those procedures so I thought I knew the way things would go. Cue laughter. I thought I'd be home from the hospital in the afternoon after seeing him safely ensconced in his hospital room. Unfortunately things took longer and I didn't get home 'til late Monday and was totally knackered and fighting a cough. He was released Tuesday afternoon and has been slowly regaining his strength. Meanwhile, my cough continued to worsen and I spent Wednesday in Urgent Care. Thursday and much of today were spent sleeping and/or coughing, but the meds have started their work, which is a good thing.