Java Hello

Today's card was a fun experimentation for me...my first time ever using gesso!!! The card was inspired by many things...but mostly the sketch +"Stamps & Spring" theme challenge @ STAMPlorations (a great company I just discovered -my first "Gold Club" order is on it's way-with a coffee stamp set, of course -woohoo!), the mixed media theme challenge: "Books" @ Happy Little Stampers + my love for coffee & the Spring Hop @ Coffee Loving Card Makers. Whew -that's alot of inspiration -so we better get started!

 

Alrighty, so this card took me a very long time to make...not because it was difficult to do, but because it took me FOREVER to make up my mind about what I wanted to do, lol. I started with a white A2 side folding card base, a badly beat up old Rob Roy book left over from some crafty decor from my daughter's wedding last fall & a super brightly colored patterned paper pack from Colorbok.

I followed the sketch to trim my patterned paper and used the YES glue to adhere both the book page and the patterned paper...this glue is fantastic because it is easy to brush on, always dries flat (even on thin paper) and cleans up easily with just water. I have had it for about 15 years and it's still going strong!

Next I brushed the entire card front with gesso to tone everything down and tie the two vastly different paper sources together. I love that the gesso also adds some subtle texture. (I was debating at this point whether or not I wanted to use a stencil and some modeling paste too, but decided against it.)

Next up, while letting the gesso dry, I die cut the rectangles...the magenta one with the stitching detail and the black floral without, cut out the half circle and the black script "hello". I stamped the magenta rectangle repeatedly with the row of coffee beans (from a Fiskars clear stamp set) in black die ink and then lightly sanded the edges to give it a distressed look. I stamped the Java Mug (retired from The Angel Company) on the half circle and used the distress inks (Peacock Feathers & Picked Raspberry) to add some subtle color to the edges of the card front with the distress tool. Working on my Ranger craft mat was great -everything wiped right off with a baby wipe...but I think I need the larger sized mat, lol!

For finishing touches, I also used the distress inks and tool to add color to a white fabric flower that I adhered a black brad through the center of. I added Crystal Lacquer to the white mug and used Wink of Stella pens to add some subtle shimmer to the donut icing and the spoon handle. I added just a hint of barely there color to the coffee and the donuts with my Prismacolor pencils in shades of brown.

I wrapped some thin black sewing thread around the card randomly several times and made a triple bow with black Scrapper's Floss that I tucked behind the rectangles. I used my Xyron "X" Sticker Maker to make adhering the Hello die cut super easy and used foam dots for the magenta rectangle and the flower.

On the inside, I stamped the sentiment and coffee grinder from that same TAC retired stamp set in more black die ink and added some of the distress ink to tie it all together. This card is now ready to go out in the mail to one of my May card swap partners. I had a blast making it, so I'm sure that you will be seeing more mixed media inspired projects from me in the future! :)