Playing in Paradise Challenge #76 and a FREEBIE!

Oh my, I’m late I’m late - and so embarrassed.  I was invited to be a Guest Designer here this week and I knew this but got my dates mixed up.  My Sister Nina was counting on me but I don’t think she’ll beat me up too much for messing up *wink*

But I’m here with my card for this week’s Playing in Paradise Challenge #76.  This week’s

 

Ohh lala, I love a project which is tactile and so I took this challenge to its full advantage and created my card which has lots to feel as well as to see. 

 

Go ahead and touch my tissue paper clouds glued onto my hand painted  watercolour background! 

So here’s how I made my card:

 

I chose this paper because it has a nice “tooth” to it, very fiber-y?  I was going for tactile as much as looks.

I always figure if I’m going to make one card its just as easy to make two.  I cut the paper an inch bigger on each  side than what my 1/4 fold card would measure out, so I have room for the tape.  I taped my paper down to a plastic coated board. 

I mixed up some russian blue watercolor.

I wet the paper liberally with plain old water.  Don’t miss any spots - you can tilt the board in the light and you will be able to see any dry patches (ha, here’s me who wound up with a bit of dry patches along the side)  We are going for a graduated wash of blue.

Simply “drop” the blue paint in along the top edge, then pick your board up and tilt it every angle to make the watercolor where you want it to go!  Don’t be afraid, you really can’t hurt anything.

Once you have the paint the way you want it then you can “lift out” some clouds - using a paper towel or tissue paper, gently press into the blue paint and it will suck up the blue and you will have a white “cloud” left over!

See?  Now we need to dry our paper before beginning the next steps.  You could leave it out and let it dry in the air but I wanted to hurry hurry so I used:

My heat embossing gun - though you can also use a hair dryer.   While your paper is wet it will feel “cool” to the touch of the back of your hand (don’t put your fingers on - the oils in your fingers can wreck your painting sometimes or even leave smudges)  So when it no longer feels cool it should be fairly dry.

And since I did not air dry it, which would have left it laying nice and flat, I decided to iron them to flatness.  I could have left them “as is” for a nice painted, cloudy background but then I wanted to add the “Fuzzy” feel to my cards, so I decided to make the clouds 3D-ish.

I added some good gollops of glue…

Shmooshed on some tissue, then added a bit more on any raggy edges overtop. 

Drew in a “bird” using a black marker and finished the background with some “sand” made from a sheet of cork. cut

Next I used my Silhouette SD to cut all my elements using my own Shovel and Pail design.  (Note: with the shovel I did not make a “cut-line” in loop at the top of the shovel because I figured you can easily cut it yourself if you want to “loop” it around the pail handle, but if you want it separate from the pail you would not want a ‘cut’ there. 

Won’t you join in the fun for challenge #76 at Playing in Paradise?   There are some beautiful and creative samples the design team have already posted to inspire you!

There are always lovely prizes to be won - The prize for PPC #76 is Glitz – Happy Travels Clear Stamp, Chipboard Album approx $25 (sweet!)

I was chosen winner of PPC #74 a short time ago and this is what arrived in my mailbox today!!!

I am SO EXCITED to start playing with this gorgeous looty booty!  Thanks so much PPC!

Ah yes, and as promised - here’s the files for making the Pail, Shovel and Word Art.  I’ve saved them every which way for your convenience, whether you are a digi-scrapbooker or Sil or Cameo cutter:

I’ll keep the cuts coming, if you can donate just a dollar or two that’s SO NICE, but if you truly can’t that’s fine too.  It takes me quite a bit of time to design and package all these goodies but I do it in faith!

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