Monday, September 28, 2015

IO Stamps Happy Haunting!



About a week ago, I sat down in the craft room and just stared at all the c**p on (and around) my work desk. Beads, brass, glue, clay sculpting tools, scissors and a Mexican Fire Opal. 

Yeah...I know....I don't know how the devil it got there either. 

Suddenly, I felt the urge..no...make it a compulsion...to make a card. Specifically, to do some sponging and make a card. 

There were two reasons for this: The first was that I was a little burnt out on jewelry, beading, etc. The second is that I MISSED ink. I missed the exact thing that I swore months ago was the reason I left cards and went to 3D art then beading...that reason was the limitation of paper and ink. That's right...I MISSED having to work harder with fewer materials and with significant imagination. Both of which apply in cardmaking. 

Believe it or not, it's easier for me to create an impressive looking 3D creation or bit of jewelry than it is to sit down and make a card like this. 

Because there's a finite amount of material, you have to really tap into your creativity and make everything count. That's why I have the utmost respect for you full time card creators...ESPECIALLY you clean and simple people. I mean it...you are pretty amazing people. 

One of my fave companies is Impression Obsession. So, I decided to enter their challenge (you have til the 29th to enter!!!) called "Happy Haunting" Using a 2.5 inch punch, I punched a circle from a sheet of masking paper. I placed it off center on a 3.5 x 3.5 panel of white PTI cardstock. I sponged the panel in soft sky, then used Pacific Point about 2/3 of the way down, then night of navy for the top. I randomly sponged black at the bottom and along the sides and upper corners. Laying the masking paper over the moon (effectively masking everything but the moon) I sponged yellow, red, rust and orange for the Harvest moon. 

Using IO Bare Tree Die and glue dots, I added the tree silhouette and just cut the trunk off. A square orange panel and mounting tape finished the scene and after tying a sparkly orange ribbon, I used a ghost from IO's Halloween Die set and cut one in copper. Heating the copper to oranges, reds and pinks (which, of course, doesn't show to full advantage in the photo) I glued it to the ribbon to finish it off. 

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed getting back to basics. Does that mean no more gigantic creations? HAH! Never. But, for now, I'm having fun getting my hands dirty again! And that's just enough for now :)



Impression Obsession Halloween Die Set DIE114-O
Impression Obsession Bare Tree Die DIE006-V

9 comments:

  1. Gorgeous card! Love the ghost! The moon reminds me the lunar eclipse I was watching last night!

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  2. Good to see you back! Love the card and the effects on that moon! Beautifully done!

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  3. Wow! The moon and sky is absolutely gorgeous on this spooky card Carmen. I love the layering of color on the moon. It seems top pop right off of the card front. Gorgeous work.

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  4. Great haunting! Your sponging and masking created a wonderful harvest moon. Beautiful moonlit night.

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  5. What a beauty! Love that big pretty moon. Thanks for playing along in the IO Challenge with us!

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  6. Beautiful. Love how the tree stands out against the moon.

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  7. Beeeeuuuutiful! Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. Must be all those gorgeous colors....I'm sure it is NOT because of witches flying on brooms, although I'm sure my hubby will laugh at that one. I love your art, no matter what you do. I love to sponge and make things out of masks....and you've done this so well here! Thanks for sharing your wonderful creativity with us today. I missed you!

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  8. Gorgeous! Thanks for joining us at IO stamps!

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  9. Ooooooh, I love this!! Great WOW of color and I love your inking on the moon. Perfectly done!

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