Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #54 - Cute with a Dark Twist!!

For this week's challenge, we're sponsored again by the lovely Joanna Sheen who is offering a £10 voucher for her online shop which is crammed full of goodies with new stock arriving all the time! Thanks once again Joanna!

 

Well, I found this a real challenge on so many levels. To start with, I don't really do cute. Secondly, as I don't really do cute, I also don't really have any cute stamp images. And thirdly, as I don't really do cute or have any cute stamp images, I don't really colour in!!

I felt the Halloween theme would be the way to add the dark twist - but then I've never made a Halloween card before either!! So I spent a lot of time wondering just how I was going to approach this. But, whilst doing a little craft retail therapy, I came across this lovely little Cute Pumpkin digi stamp from Pink Gem Designs. This finally inspired me to put together this card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Paper Crafting Journey - Challenge 21 - Colour Challenge

Crafts and Me - Challenge 56 - Orange
One Stop Crafts - Halloween
The ABC Challenge - "B is for Boo"
Craft Your Days Away - Halloween Colours

I printed the image onto watercolour card, and then, since I don't own any other colouring medium, I proceeded to use my watercolours to colour the image in. I'm quite pleased with the results.

Once I'd painted him, I cut him out using a nestie, and inked the edge with Rusty Hinge Distress Ink. I wanted to add some glaze, but was worried it would cause the paint to bleed, so I gave it a waft of Spray and Shine, before glazing the hands, feet, cheeks, nose, eyes and pumpkin lid. I mounted this onto a circle of black mirror card from my stash.

The orange mirror card is also from my stash, and was cut using a nestie, and then embossed with That Special Touch Swirl Mask. I mounted this onto white card to give it an edge, then onto a piece of pale orange card to match the card blank. The decorative edges on the pale orange were cut using my new Edgabilities (this one is from the Triple Scallop set), whilst the black mirror card was edged with the Ric Rac design.

The card was finished off with black organza ribbon and bow - salvaged from a box of chocolates - and a few black gems!!

I have to admit that this finished card is not how I had first envisaged it. The two little images below (Halloween Jodie and Halloween Josh) are also from Pink Gem Designs, and I was originally planning on using all three on my card. But when I came to assemble the card it just seemed too much. But, as I don't often do colouring in, and I was quite pleased with the results, I am going to show you them anyway!!  Overall, I'm really pleased I had a go at this - it's out of my comfort zone, but sometimes we need a push to try something different!!

 

Don't forget to check out all the other Designer's work on the Crafty Cardmaker's Blog - and why not have a go yourself!! You never know, you may just surprise yourself with what you can come up with!!

Till next time,

Cxx