Viva La Verve Week 1 June Challenge

Hi everyone where I live it way too hot to be outside so it is a good time to be crafting. Of course I had to walk over to my storage unit to grab a fan to cool off my "playroom".

I am so excited to be entering a card into the Viva La Verve sketch challenge. I think between Mojo Monday and Viva La Verve sketch challenges Julie may have created a monster here as I quickly become a sketch junkie. Who knew it could be so much fun to create cards using sketches.

You don't have to use Verve stamps to enter the challenge but when you start looking at all their exquisite stamps  and dies you are not going to be able to help yourself. ( I only wish I could have afforded to buy more sets  and that the coordinating die set would have been in but woman can not live on stamps alone.) I was impressed with the quick service. I placed an order late in the evening and the next day it was on it's way to me. Not only that but when I got my order the stamp sets were wrapped like a package using pretty tissue wrapping paper. There was even a die added to my order which I modified for this card. The invoice was no ordinary invoice instead it was like a card printed on good quality paper. The postage also was reasonably priced. Sometimes for me that can be a deal breaker. I will definitely be ordering again from this company.

Enough of my jabbering here is the challenge sketch.

Here is the card I created. I love how it turned out even though it took me longer than planned.

 I pretty much adhered to the sketch but since I was going through my stash and found this cutout leftover from cutting a frame I decided to use that instead of a rectangle.

My background panels are cut from two different prints I pulled using glue, acrylic ink and gesso. I am so in love with these prints and can't wait to pull more prints.

I used Verve Happy Place stamps for the flower and the sentiment. In my stash I had leftover circles which were scored for folding for making Christmas ornaments. I cut the circle in half and used one side for my sentiment and the other to cut out pennants. The pennants were actually arrows but I cut off the tip. I also curled the bottom a little bit after they were cut out.

 It is a good thing I had two sides to play with as I did not realize on this shimmery card stock that my white ink would smear. After stamping I used clear detail embossing powder I am going to have to keep that idea in mind as often I want to use a ink but because of smearing I don't. The scallop half circle is cut out  of scrap as is the mat for the flower panel.

Although stamping and foiling worked it was not perfect. It was really bad at the bottom so a dimensional slug sticker and a couple of lady bugs took care of that.. I used a Palette glue pad  for my stamping and my laminator to adhere teal deco foil by therm o web. To be honest I have not been happy with my results using this particular glue pad for anything I have tried it on. I am going to purchase sticky embossing powder as I've seen that used with stamps and foil. In my experimenting clear embossing powder heated and then foil placed over and ran through a laminator works only if it is not a detailed stamp.

I used a glaze pen for the dots of the flower. Then the flower was colored with chalk. For the background I used a blending tool and Memento Summer Sky ink.

I invite you to join in the challenges. Details are here. http://vlvsketches.blogspot.com

If something doesn't turn out right do you throw it out or do you try to find a way to salvage it?

Wishing you Happy Frugal Crafting till we meet again!