I hope you guys are all enjoying a wonderful holiday season! Over at the Creative Carte Blanche blog, the theme of our December Adventure, courtesy of the dazzling Cheryl Grigsby, is “Song Lyrics.” That’s the only criteria, so you’re welcome and encouraged to get as creative as you dare!
Seems like a lot of us have had a singularly difficult year. Personally, I’m still reeling from the loss of my beloved Mom, who passed away in August, and my dear feline companion, Bowie, who left us two months later. I’m far from alone in all this, though. Seems nearly everyone I know has experienced some kind of hardship or heartbreak this year. So, I wanted my piece for this final challenge of 2016 to honor that, and also hopefully offer some ray of encouragement. To that end, there could be no lyrics more fitting than the beautiful words of the late, brilliant Leonard Cohen, from his song “Anthem.”
“There is a crack in everything; that’s how the light gets in.”
I began by typing the lyrics on my computer and printing them onto heavy white card stock. The font I used is called “American Typewriter Semibold.”
When the ink had dried (and let’s be real– inkjet ink takes a LONG TIME to dry!), I cut the paper down to the size I wanted. This is about 4.25″ x 5.75.”
This little angel in disguise is one of my all-time favorite stamps. She’s from the Character Constructions Vintage Christmas collection. I stamped her with Jet Black Archival Ink onto a scrap of Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper, then used a heat tool to dry the ink.
I colored the little angel with soft tones using Koi Coloring Brush Pens. I like to have a test image for colors when I’m making cards so I’m less likely to bungle it up and have to start over. That’s my tester there on the right.
Next, I cut out the figure and lightly brushed her wings with a Krylon Gold Leafing Pen.
I used this awesome background stamp called Fireworks from Seth Apter’s Lineups set to create those “cracks in everything” on the background card. Dina Wakley’s beautiful Gilt acrylic paint provided the golden “light.”
I attached the little angel to the card using thick foam squares.
And, there she is.
I wish you a truly happy, peaceful, prosperous, hopeful, joyful 2017, and thank you so much for visiting! The Creative Carte Blanche Song Lyrics Adventure is open through the end of December, and we’d love to see your creative take on this theme.
Happy New Year!
