Hello crafty friends.

I have a set of cards today that started with a card sketch from Paper Rose Studio.

I’ll work through them in order of how closely they stick to the elements of the sketch. For all the cards I used Paper Rose Studio’s Magnolia stamp set and matching dies where needed. I’ve deliberately chosen a stamp which is quite different from the graphic style of the sketch.

Firstly, a look at the original sketch. The main elements are the diagonal line, the sentiment, the two elements sticking out from under the diagonal line, and the circular image on top. I think the first and most important thing about sketch or any challenge, is that they’re not designed to trip people up or make things hard. They’re there to spark creativity and to be enjoyed. Nobody is going to call the sketch challenge police if you miss an element, or change one.

 

This first card sticks to the sketch the most closely. I have included pretty much everything from the sketch, with the exception that there is only one element below the line. This card is hiding a dirty little secret – it can’t stand up alone! I created the diagonal line by cutting the front of the card, so that the flower underneath would truly peek out from behind. I used Copics to colour the magnolias, and this Cable Knit Sweater stencil to create a background.

Here’s a close up of the cut and the design. When you open the card to read the message, there is a magnolia still showing, which I love.

This next card is a little more abstract in the way it uses the design. The diagonal line is still there, but the elements below and above the line have been moved around a little, and the sentiment is now on an angle.

To create this card, I stamped the magnolia flower once in Memento ink in Tuxedo Black, and several times in Altenew Ruby Red. I then used Copic markers to colour one feature image. The sentiment is white heat embossed using Brutus Monroe Alabaster White embossing powder onto black card. The drew the diagonal line with a marker, carefully working around the flowers.

Finally, I tipped the sketch upside down for this card. The diagonal line is now made by the stems of the flowers, and the the pale pink watercolour stands in for the larger circular element on the sketch. The sentiment is back in place as per the sketch. I used Daniel Smith watercolours to colour the images, which I heat embossed with the same Brutus Monroe embossing powder.

This final card is my favourite of the three. I adore watercolour, and the soft looks you can achieve. I’ll leave you with a closeup of the floral element of the card.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed these cards, and that you’re inspired to enter some sketch challenges. The current Challenge from Paper Rose Studio runs until the end of September 2019, and can be found in the Paper Rose Community Facebook page. There is a AUD$40 prize pack up for grabs.

Until next time, may your days be filled with flowers (and may you find the time to get crafty!)

Blessings,
Donna