Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Dinosaurs!

Do you ever see a craft item and HAVE to have it even though you have no idea WHY you have to have it? Case in point, I saw the new clear dinosaur fossil set by Basic Grey and really wanted it. I am not sure why. I don't know when I am going to use it. I just think the set is so cool! Anyway, for the first picture, I made a card designed for a small kid who likes dinosaurs. Then I looked at it again and thought that it could be taken completely wrong and be designed for someone I deem to be a "fossil." That would be wrong. Very wrong. Humm...might have to save this card.

To make the first card, I ran some paper through the Accucut machine to end up with a card with a window and a decorative piece of paper that would layer on top. The decorative paper is from Basic Grey's Archaic line. Hey, if I bought the stamps, I might as well buy the coordinating paper. Right? I stamped the dinosaur on the inside of the card and added some dirt underneath him with a brown Copic marker. To finish the card, I added a tag and some raffia.

For the second card, I decided to make a congratulations card with the phase "dino-mite" on the front. It may seem surprising, but I didn't actually own a "dino-mite" saying. Shocking! I had to go to the old standby and spell out the word using some clear Hero Arts letters.

As with the first card, I ran paper through the Accucut to get my card and then stamped the dinosaur to the inside of the card. I started coloring the hill with brown Copic markers, but it was taking too long (and too much ink) to fill in the area. I therefore did a bottom "streaky" layer with the markers and then sponged some brown ink on top to finish the ground. The sky was created with blue and purple inks sponged over the dinosaur.

The hardest part of the card was cutting out the stamped palm fronds that surround the window. Because of this last step, it is going to be very hard to give this card away. I have to wait to give it away to someone who did something worth congratulating, likes dinosaurs, enjoys earth tones, AND will appreciate the fact that it took me forever to cut out the leaves. Yep. I am never giving this card away.

7 comments:

GiftsByHeidi said...

Those cards are cute! I can see you put a lot of time into them! Funny, I wouldn't have thought of the fossil-birthday connection.

Anonymous said...

Great cards! You can't beat Basic Grey for papers (and stickers)! Glad you didn't think to save the fossil-birthday card for ME. :) Too late now! Q

Unknown said...

Iam surprised how mucch I want the dinosaur stamps now! Not a genre that I ever thought I'd be interested in. And I love the papers!

Penny said...

What, no 'dino-mite' stamp? Come on Laura, your stamp collection must be sorely lacking ROFL!! I love these cards, perfect for little boys! I wouldn't have thought of the old fossil connection either but it's a good one...

Chrisi said...

ok these are GORGEOUS!

Anonymous said...

This just shows how really creative you are. Not many could make such beautiful cards with dinosour stamps!

Jenn Biederman said...

Love this BG set! You have turned some old bones into some cuties! Love the little dinos!