A Challenging Challenge - Paper Players # 79-Tag It

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Hey y'all. Happy Friday to you. I hope yours is starting out better than mine. I have what I fear is more than the beginning of the first cold vs sinus infection I've had in about 6-8 months. It started yesterday and now the coughing and real yuckiness is setting in and me with stampcamp and 2 weekend shifts ahead, not cool. Like I said, hopefully your day is going better than mine. With that in mind, I have a card that at least brings a smile to my face and hopefully will bring one to your face as well, and having just checked the site I found out I'm going to get it in just in time.

If you follow me at all, one of the things I resolved to do this year was at least one challenge a week. I saw this one over at Paper Players and thought it would be nice. In fact, as soon as I saw it I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Does that happen often for you? You see a challenge or a sketch and immediately know just what you want to do. Not me. Nope. No Sir-ree! I usually have to sit there and channel my inner Pooh-Bear (come-on you know you want to do it with me) and Think, Think, Think, Think, before something comes about. This time I knew what I wanted, I had just never done it before, so I wasn't sure how easy it was going to be or how it was going to turn out.

Then, as so often often happens, I got busy and all of a sudden it's Thursday night and I still have a card to design for Saturday's StampCamp and with work on Friday that's the only time to do it so that's my priority and I got it done (wait till you see it next week, sooo pretty!) but I still wanted this card and this challenge, so I set out to try and get it done.

First - It had to have a tag. I didn't have any tag's, I was going to have to make one. Oiy! That involved measuring. The OCD in me was not going to have fun with that. Second, the tag I wanted to make was a "bookmark". Now we have a "Bookmark" die, which I've been meaning to get, unfortunately it wouldn't have helped here because my chosen image wouldn't have fit on it.

Second - I had to make sure the tag was the right size to hold my image plus a "border" tag plus I wanted it to sit on my card at an angle to actually be a part of the card. I couldn't very well just slap it on the card, now could I?

Third - I wanted to do some shading and masking on the tag, something I had never done before. I blame Michelle Zindorf and all her brilliant work all over the web. I could see in my minds eye what I wanted, but with limited resources at home (read mostly markers not pads, and no brayers) I had my doubts.

Fourth- What in the world was I going to do for the actual "card" background itself? I would have to figure that out if and when I made that far.

So at about 9:30 last night my journey began and 2 hours later after multiple attempts at getting this "tag/bookmark" just right I came up with what is perhaps, one of my all time favorite projects.

I hope you like it as well-

What do you think? I started with a base of Island Indigo one of my All -Time Favorite Colors. I'm from Florida and it takes me back home every-time I look at it. Then I took a piece of Whisper White c/s and made sure it was wide enough to stamp my image on. I ensured this by first stamping my image with my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig and laying it over the W.W. c/s to get the appropriate measurements. Do you have a Stamp-A-Ma-Jig yet? They are an essential tool for your stamping toolbox. Even if you're not an OCD stamper like me. Once I had my measurements I set out to cut my tag and the underlying base/border tag. I don't think they turned out too bad. (:

Next came that sun. Who knew a little yellow sun could be so hard. Geesh! When we were kids, they seemed soooo easy! This only took me 4 tries. I punched a hole with my 1 3/4" circle punch on a post-it note and used that for my template. I used Daffodil Delight Stampin Write Marker to ink up a sponge and sponged around the circle and then  lightly inked up a sponge with a Pumpkin Pie Stampin Write Marker and went just around the edges. You have to be very careful, because attempt 3 got a "streaky-glob" (very technical term, streaky glob) of Pumpkin Pie and was rendered unusable. I would also recommend using extra post-it notes to hold down the bottom and sides of the first one to help keep it from lifting up and to make sure you don't get any color off the side of the post-it especially if you're using a small square instead of a big one. Ask me how I know.

After I finished my sun I inked up my stamp, which is unfortunately retired. Stampin Up has others you could use that would also make a beautiful card and/or bookmark including the Open Seas set that I used for the background of the card base. I chose this particular stamp however because my boyfriend and I often talk about sailing away on a sailboat to get away from the stresses of our lives and, as his job keeps us apart for long stretches at a time I made the bookmark, thinking I would think of him whenever I used it.

*Tip* - Be careful not to push to hard when inking up a stamp with this much solid line detail. It's easy to  push too hard and actually get ink on the soft rubber, non-image, portion of the stamp including the areas around the edges, which can then transfer when you stamp your image onto your cardstock. Again, ask me how I know.

I actually ended up using my Stampin Write Marker to get the coverage I wanted, to make sure everything was inked up just right for this project. I then used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, positioned my image where I wanted it and finally was on my way! You know what time it was? That's right. Happy Dance. But, only a little one. I still needed to do the VersaMark and Heat Emboss it. So, I got out my VersaMark pad but once again felt like I was getting a little too much coverage with the pad so I cleaned my stamp and inked it up with my VersaMark Pen, lined everything up with my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, and Voila! Too Easy! Clear Embossing Powder & a quick blast of heat and my glossy little boat was just waiting for ocean and a sky to be able to sail off into.

I used the circle I had punched out earlier to mask the sun and luckily this time had ink pads to work with. I used Pool Party and started by sponging the bottom of the card and ended up lightly sponging all over including the top. I then went over the bottom of the card with Island Indigo to add some depth to the water, and then sponged the edges of the tag with Island Indigo. I didn't get quite the delineation I wanted between water and sky but for a first time and at almost midnight and as tired as I was I wasn't willing to risk messing this up. I mounted this to my Island Indigo tag with Tombow and using my Crop-A-Dile punched a hole at the top with the largest hole punch. I ran a strip of our Chantilly Lace through this for my bookmark's ribbon and my "tag/bookmark" was finished"

Here's what just the tag looks like-

Wow! That being said and done,  I still needed to do the card base. Augh!  Back to my Island Indigo/ Whisper White combo. I pulled out my Open Seas stamp set (which I LOVE) so glad they kept that on as a write in. I hope they surprise us all and have it in this years big catalog! I used the manifest stamp and inking it in Soft Suede and stamping off once each time stamped on the Whisper White c/s. Then I did something almost unheard of. Calling All Trinity Stampers- Are you Listening? Are You Reading? This is something that has only been seen here once before.... and let me tell you I was so tired last night when I did this, that I channeled my inner Nike, and "Just Did It"

I Crumpled Cardstock!


Yes! You read that correctly. I Shannon Angel willingly and voluntarily crumpled cardstock. (Not only that, but I ended up liking the project so much, that I am going to change the sentiment, so I am going to have to do the base again ):  )  For those of you that don't follow me, you can read more about that HERE. The short of it is, Distressing, Distresses me! It stresses me out! I don't do it! But I did. (And I liked it!) I then sponged over the cardstock with the Soft Suede, Tombowed that to the Island Indigo base and could see the finish line... I was almost done.

I put two holes at the top corner of the card with my Crop-A-Dile and threaded my lace through them to secure my "tag" to the card and since it was a card I felt it needed a sentiment. I got out the "Love you, Kiss You, Miss You" stamp from the new P.S. I Love You stamp set from the Occasions Mini and stamped it in Early Espresso in the upper right corner. I wanted something small and subtle, I didn't want to detract from the main focus of the card.

What do you think? I am beyond thrilled with how it turned out! I actually went upstairs and put it in a frame. I'm going to change the base with another sentiment but didn't want anything to happen to it until I could get a chance to do that.

I hope this inspires you to try something new, whether it's a new challenge or a new technique like masking or heat embossing or playing with your Stamp-A-Ma-Jig or even just making your own tags. The whole point of this blog is to inspire to Just Try!

If you liked it, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Today's Supplies
Cardstock- Island Indigo, Whisper White
Stamps- Open Seas, Sail Away
Ink- Island Indigo, Pool Party, Soft Suede Classic Ink Pads, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie Stampin Write Markers, VersaMark Marker
Ribbon- Chantilly Lace
Punches- 1 3/4" Circle
Accesories- Crop-A-Dile, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Powder Trays, Sponges (3 per pack)

If you need supplies to recreate today's card or to make your own card, you can shop in my Online Store 24/7.

I hope you have a great weekend, full of time to spend with family and friends and of course time for creativity and designing.

Till next time-

Remember- It's not about waiting out the storm, it's about learning to dance in the rain,

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It