Wednesday Sketch Challenge at SplitCoastStampers

I was SO totally out of it last night. I was doing some work on the computer and printing away and the next thing I know an email came in. SO of course I had to go check it out. It was the Wednesday Sketch Challenge!!! I had mixed emotions about it coming in. That meant it was getting late in the evening (after 11 pm) and I wasn't done with my work yet. Plus I wanted to play with the sketch.

SOOOO I decided to finish up my computer work and then play with the sketch. It must have been the thought of having fun with the sketch that kept me going because it was after 3 when I finally left my workroom!!!

For my card I used the Stampin' Up! "A Cardinal Christmas" stamp. I thought it was fun to be able to play with a brand new set. It was SO brand new that I hadn't even put it together yet!!!! I SO love these cardinals.

I wanted to keep an even balance of red throughout the card so I thought I would add a big red bow to the top. Plus I wanted to add some red to the bottom. I first tried a piece of Real Red card stock but it just didn't look right. I had already decided I was going to use the snowflake paper from the new "Ski Slope" designer paper. It's SO pretty. And that bottom part happened by accident. The snowflake paper had turned over and upon gazing at it I realized that it had just the amount of red in it to keep your eye moving around the card.

To do the cardinal I stamped the image on glossy white card stock using black Staz on. I actually used markers to color in the bird and branches. I took a marker and a blender pen and colored in around the bird and as I got further away from the bird I sponged on the color.

As I was sponging I touched the bird and got red ink on my finger and didn't notice it until I got it on the right side of the bird. UGH!!! I wasn't able to cover it up or get it to blend or even disappear! So it's stuck there. I did use some hair spray to set the color in place. I just sprayed it on lightly and let it dry. Once it was dry then I was able to touch it all I wanted and I was finally able to put the card together.

This was another fun layout from SplitCoastStampers. If you have time I highly recommend you head on over there and play!!!

Thank you SO much for stopping by,
Wanda