Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge #2

I think I’m finally getting a hang of these card challenges! And it’s kinda nice because they help to streamline my creative process when I have a limited amount of time to create. Today’s card was a 30 minute card created during a student’s missed lesson and I’m very pleased with the results. I’ve been meaning to restock my supply of sympathy cards and this one is perfect for the fall. It’s never good when a sympathy card is needed but I hope that a card helps to reminds the person that people are thinking of them during difficult times.

This was an interesting challenge presented by the Simon Says Stamp Flickr group. They posted a tic-tac-toe board with different techniques, themes, etc. in each square. Each card submission needed to use all three squares in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line. I chose a diagonal line using die-cuts, autumn colors, and glitter (of course).

I started off by inking a flower from the SSS Friendly Flowers set in wild honey and dried marigold distress ink. After inking the stamp I spritzed it with water and then stamped it onto watercolor paper. I held the stamp on the watercolor paper for about 15 seconds to give it time to really soak into the paper. Then I cleaned the stamp and inked the center with walnut stain distress ink and also spritzed it. I stamped the brown into the center of the flowers. I added the stems with Forest Moss distress ink and used one of the leaf stamps to create the “buds” in dried marigold distress ink.

Then I took a piece of scrap cardstock and put a line of double-stick tape onto one edge. I sprinkled Glitter Ritz in Java Bean onto the tape and then used a bone folder to burnish the glitter onto the tape so it wouldn’t rub off. I LOVE the Glitter Ritz colors…they’re rich, bright, and come in a huge variety of hues! I attached the glittered border to the left edge of the watercolor paper as a border. Then I mounted that onto a rich yellow cardstock base.

For the sentiment I used the SSS With Sympathy die and cut it from the same yellow cardstock and also a piece of dark brown cardstock. I layered them and gave a little dimension to the sentiment by off-setting them slightly.

I really like the way this card turned out. I think the glitter is subtle and appropriate for a sympathy card and the flowers and colors really feel like fall. It was interesting trying to create with a strict time limit. I’m not sure that this is what I would have ended up with if I had unlimited time to create. I look forward to trying to make more cards with a similar time limit to see what happens.