A Cardnial Christmas Sketch Challenge Card

This is the card I made for this weeks Sketch Challenge over at SplitCoastStampers. I am so partial to this stamp set. I have used it many times and never grow tired of it.

I did have a little trouble with the card. I wanted to use Bravo Burgundy card stock. I liked it better with the berries in the background paper but the Bravo Burgundy ribbon looked just awful on it. I switched the color over to Real Red and I was much happier with it.

SO for the base of my card, it is now Real Red. The next layer is from the "Deck the Halls" decorative paper pack. Actually all three of those layers came from that pack of paper. There's LOTS of pretties in that pack!

The bird is from "A Cardinal Christmas" set. I stamped the bird using black StazOn. I let it dry for a few minutes. I went and cut out my card stock while it was drying. It doesn't take too long to dry but I had just inked the pad and wanted to be sure it was dry before I applied my markers to it. I didn't want to smear it nor did I want black permanent ink on my Real Red marker. I colored in the leaves in using Always Artichoke and the birds beak and feet were colored in using More Mustard. I colored directly from the marker, no blender pen was used here.

The background was sponged in using a dauber sponge and Crumb Cake ink. The edges were sponged in using Chocolate Chip ink.

I attached the ribbon before I put the card together. And that is pretty much all there was to the card. I like how it has a "richness" to it.

If you have time I highly recommend you play with the layout. It was a fun one!
There is a post on SplitCoast that has a link to ALL of the sketches. Pick one and play with it. I went back to that page and I downloaded a few of them I didn't have. I keep them all in an album and when I need one I know where they are. Each week I print the sketch, cut it out and put it in my album after I'm done making it. Go have some fun! You don't have to post yours on SplitCoast if you don't want to but I think it's fun if you do! The people there are SO nice!

I look forward to getting a comment with the link to your card posted at SplitCoast!!! (Game on!!!)

Thank you SO much for visiting today.

Wanda