It's Your Day

This one got me the yellow ribbon as a Third Prize winner.  As this is the final post of my NJ State Fair entries for this year, it’s probably time to get started on next year’s entries!  Meanwhile, if someone’s Special Day is coming up, what better way to greet it than with a sunshine-bright card?

This background uses one of my favorite techniques:  it’s fun, easy, quick, not messy, and fail-proof.  I love the pop of pure white on rich color, so I first sponge on two or three colors, mist to blend if desired, and then wait until it’s bone dry before proceeding – use a heat gun to speed things up.  When it’s really dry*, stamp your image and heat emboss with white powder.

If you’d like a more muted embossed result, stamp and emboss first.  Then sponge on your colors, mist as before, and wipe off the residue with a paper towel.  The original sharp white of the embossing will be more subtle which looks very nice and may be what you’re after.  It’s your call . . . try both methods and see which one suits your project.

 *A quick way to see if your background is truly dry before over-stamping and embossing  on it is to scatter a little embossing powder over it.  If it sticks, guess what?  Your background isn’t dry enough.  Brush off the powder, heat to dry with your heat gun, and try again.  If it’s truly dry, the powder will not stick where you don’t want it. 

 Cardstock:                     Bazzill Marigold, Santillo, watercolor paper

Stamps:                           Peddler’s Pack Daisy Background, Hero “It’s Your Day”
Inks:                                 ColorBox Frost White, Black, Distress Spiced Marmalade,
                                             Mustard Seed                  
Emb Powder:                Judikins Opaque White, Detail Black
Dies/Punches:               EK Success Zig Zag corner punch, Joy Butterfly, Spellbinders
                                              Fleur de Lis
Doo Dads:                     Orange crystals, Distress Stickles Rock Candy