Grungy Gardening Grandad

Hi there lovely crafters!! :)

Well, I've been crafting like a mad thing this last few days (that's only about 2hrs give or take of craft in any one day, of course, but that's kind of a lot of anything for me everyday with my health) and it's not leaving me with much energy for anything else- especially in this heat!! :S Still, I've been enjoying it (mostly- mixing craft and computers isn't always the most relaxing way to do things!!) I really wanted to share this card with you as I'm really pleased with how it turned out- it's quite different fo me with a decidedly grungy, distressed feel to it but I just got carried away enjoying myself!! I hope my Grandad will like it, too!! :)

So, it's my Grandad's Father's Day card- it's always hard to come up with ideas for my Dad and Grandad, especially as they don't really go in for much of the sporting side of things, but one thing my Grandad loves is his garden so i chose this image of a bear potting on his seedlings from the Forever Friends CD which I think he'll appreciate :) I do think this Cd will come to the rescue for many a man's card when my (distinctly feminine) stamp and paper collections leave me with nothing- just this week I've used it for my Dad's F's day card and for my little cousin's birthday, too (which is three days later, can you see why I'm in a flap about getting them finished- there are another three as well!! :S)

I started by printing a decoupage sheet and then cropping out a second base layer in MCS and printing that, too, as there were way too many layers to only make one finished piece. I also printed a sentiment made in MCS but that didn't fit when I got going with the card- didn't really have a clue what I was going to do when I started printing!! :S ;) Then, with the decoupage assembled but not stuck to the base layer incase I needed to put it through my trimmer etc- oh, to be capable of forward planning!!- I 'ummed' and 'aahed' for a while about what to do with it next!! I'd had the idea of using brown parcel paper for a natural look, I really wanted to try crumpling and sanding with my new Core'dinations Chocolate box card and I may have mentioned how much I'm loving my Cut & Dry at the mo', so that slightly rumpled, distressed part was floating around but that was as far as I'd got til I finally found a sketch that I thought would work- and then I set to and the rest just kind of happened :)

I tore the bottom edge of the decoupage base layer and inked all around with Vinatge Photo Distress Ink and a green chalk pad- the dog-eared corner wasn't intended but I liked it when it happened :) I crumpled and sanded the card and then attempted to tear some strips of brown paper for the bottom- tricky with the shiny coating on one side (which I made the back as I thought the rougher side suited the card better) resisting and I'm sure it could have been better but I got there in the end with the aid of my water-brush! Then I inked all the edges with varying amounts of the two inks and the brown paper rolled really nicely at the bottom- without me intending again...I'm not sure how much of the credit I can really take for this card, there were a lot of happy accidents!! :) A couple more bits of brown paper for the greeting (hand-written this time with a Whispers pen) got the same treatment and then it just needed a bit of Vintage Photo on the base card and to assemble all the pieces :) A bit of raffia and a few touches of glaze pen finished it off :) A slightly unhappier accident were the blotches of Vintage Photo I discovered on the image part way through tidying up- we're all crafters together so I don't mind admitting it! ;)- I ended up adding a few more to look like it was intentional!! :S Accidents aside, though, I really love all the texture on this card and am rapidly falling in love with Core'dinations even though I've only used it a few times!! :)

The brown paper is my 'something old' for the Lexi's Creations challenge and it's actually about 40yrs old!! I asked my mum if she could get out the, as yet unopened, roll of parcel paper I remembered asking her to get years ago then forgot about and she came back with that and some folded paper which she told me my Grandad (not the one the card's for) must have brought home from the board mill where he worked before she left home for Uni!! And it's rougher, more imperfect appearance suited what I wanted much better than the nice new roll, too!! :) :)

And this is an extra image I put on the inside of the card- my 'Grandad' bear admiring the results of all his hard work :)

So that's my card and the end to my ramblings for another day...brevity has never been my strong suit- I do hope I haven't sent too many people to sleep!! :S All that's left to say is that I'd like to enter it into the following challenges: My Partner in Crafting Crime- 'Show Papa Some Love' : a card for a male; Sketch Saturday- great sketch which proved the inspiration I needed; Lexi's Creations- use something old (does 40yrs old count?!! - the brown parcel paper); Magical Crafts Challenge- Something for a Male/Father's Day; and, a late addition because I forgot, Crafty Cardmakers- Cards for Men :)

Thanks for looking and for all the lovely comments and advice after my last card, I truly do appreciate them all- I'll catch up with checking out what everyone's been up to properly when I've got this week's cards sorted and I have a bit more energy!! :)

hugs,