Happy Birthday Shery!!

Today is the day for celebrating Shery's birthday! Shery is the owner of STAMPlorations and I am privledged to be on her Design Team. 

Nonni and Sandie have organised a linky birthday party for Shery and I am so happy to have been asked to particpate. If you would like to join in the fun, please link up your birthday card over at STAMPlorations!

Shery has really opened my eyes with her mixed media projects. She has inspired me to try new techniques and styles. 

With that, I bought some stencils from the STAMPlorations store. My first ever stencils! I had bought some texture paste a few weeks before that and it has been sitting on my desk ever since just giving me the evil eye. We came to a bit of an understanding (the texture paste and I) that if I didn't bother it, it wouldn't bother me. Wanting to use my new stencils, I decided that I wasn't going to be bullied by a tub of paste and knew that the opening ceremony would be in Shery's honour.

Here is what I have made for her -

Firstly I gave my watercolour paper a wash of ink and water with a brush. While it was still a little damp I used my first stencil (Bubble Layering) and sponged ink over it. 

Then came the opening ceremony - my texture paste. I used a palette knife to spread the paste over the next stencil (Dot Fade), removed the stencil and..... woo hoo. Why had I been so scared?? Dunno!

While I waited for the paste to dry, I stamped the chevron and sentiment from the Vignette: Chevron and Arrows and Vignette: Celebrate Artsy (July New Release).

Once the texture paste was completely dry, I sponged over it with some white ink just to bring out the texture a bit more.

To create the butterflies, I grabbed a transparency sheet and put some alcohol ink drops in different colours on the sheet. I used some Alcohol blending fluid so they would, well, blend together into a random mass of colour. Then I grabbed some glossy cardstock and pressed it onto the transparency, lifted it up and had a beautiful mix of colours that I could now use to stamp on or die cut.

I stamped the butterflies using the Vignette: Artful Flutters and once dry (because I had used glossy cardstock), I fussy cut around them and popped them up with foam pads.

So with that, I have overcome my fear of texture paste. I looked like a mixed media professional at the end of it all. I mean, my fingers were completely inked up and I had made a mess of my craft sheets. It was so much fun!

Thank you for inspiring me to create a card like this, Shery!!

We also thought it would be cool to answer three questions for Shery. They are -

1) Your favourite STAMPlorations stamp

This is a HARD question! May I have more than one favourite? I do have more than one but if I did have to pick, I really LOVE the new Vignette: Celebrate Artsy set from the July new release. The fun grungy shapes and little sentiments are awesome!

2) Your favourite piece of writing or your favorite book

 I used to read a LOT. I don't seem to do that too much anymore. I am way too busy with my crafty time. When I did read novels there was one writer that I used to buy his books all the time - James Patterson. I have always loved crime/thriller books. I also loved the Davinci Code.

3) Your message to the birthday girl Shery

Dear Shery, thank you (again) for the inspiration you provide me. I love being on your DT with all the other wonderful ladies. I hope you have an awesome day and get spoilt rotten!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Edited to add - Deepti suggested I should enter this card into the brand new challenge Mixed Media Challenge. Thanks Deepti xx