Welcome back to another biweekly Cardz 4 Galz challenge! Our host for #209, Johanna, chose green and cream for the theme. While I used Mossy Meadow and Very Vanilla for my green and cream, the possibilities for this challenge are endless! When you finish here, I hope you will visit the challenge site to see the creations from the rest of the design team. After you are inspired to play along, please be sure to add your project to our gallery.

Here’s my green and cream card:

This Hey Chuck bundle just makes me happy! I’ve been so busy making Thanksgiving cards, it was fun to go back to create a birthday card that is really appropriate for galz or guyz. I really think this guy is “Chuck”, mainly because he looks like he thinks all the other roosters in the set are just a tad off. I’ve already posted a number of Hey Chuck cards using Chuck and other roosters in this bundle. You can see three of them here, here, and here. As always, all my supplies can be found in the Stampin’ Up! annual catalog.

The layout of this card meets the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #545, so I will be uploading it to that challenge as well.

Here’s the AHSC challenge banner:

Measurements and Scraps:

Luckily, I could use a number of scraps/leftover cardstock pieces!

I’ve found that it’s easier for me to gather all my supplies first before I start measuring, trimming, stamping, coloring, cropping, and finally assembling the card. My main desk is 2 feet wide by 5 feet long. However, I wind up working in a much smaller space for some strange and (not so) unknown reason. Please tell me I am not the only one.

The Mossy Meadow base measures 11 by 4-1/4 inches, scored at 5-1/2 inches to create a tent fold.
After I dry embossed a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock using one of the Basics Embossing folders, I trimmed it to 4-1/8 by 5-3/8 inches.
The Very Vanilla cardstock for the inside measures 4 by 5-1/4 inches.
I trimmed a piece of 6 x 6 inch Crumb Cake DSP to 6 by 2-1/2 inches for the envelope flap.
I punched a 1-inch circle from a piece of Mossy Meadow 6 x 6 inch DSP for the envelope seal. This needs to be run through your XYRON create-a-sticker to create the seal.
There’s a piece of Mossy Meadow cardstock under the grassy pieces on the front of the card. It measures 1/2 by 4-1/8 inches.
The only other piece of cardstock I needed was a 4-1/4 by 5-1/2 inch Crumb Cake cardstock for the circle of rays behind my scene.
As I said, I was able to get everything else stamped and/or cropped using leftover cardstock pieces.

Stamping & Coloring:

Coloring is completely relaxing to me, so I colored, stamped, and used blending brushes for these different elements.

I stamped the rooster and sentiment onto Very Vanilla cardstock using Early Espresso ink.
HINT: If you are not using Momento inks to stamp your outlines, but are using blends to color, you really need to let the ink dry before you start coloring or it will bleed.
I stamped the fence pieces onto Crumb Cake cardstock using Early Espresso ink.
Then, I used a blending brush and layers of Crumb Cake ink on the fence pieces so they look kind of weathered. Remember you can always add more ink as needed. However, if you start with a heavy hand while blending, you might wind up starting over.
HINT: After adding ink to the blending brush, tap it off on grid paper so you don’t wind up with blobs of color that you can never seem to fix.
Using the Rays of Light stamp set, I stamped Crumb Cake ink onto Crumb Card cardstock.
By this time, I could color the rooster. I used Crumb Cake and Cajun Craze blends combos for Chuck.
Finally, I stamped the inside sentiments and fence pieces using Early Espresso ink.

Cropping & Assembly:

I used the Hey Chuck die set to crop the Cajun Craze weather vane, Chuck, and the fence pieces.
The sentiment banner and the Rays of Light circle were cropped using the Stylish Shapes die set.
Then, I cropped the grassy pieces behind the fence from the Playing in the Rain die set.
To assemble, I used mostly multipurpose liquid glue, with the exception of dimensionals under Chuck and the front sentiment.
I adhered the Rays of Light circle first, then layers the strip of Mossy Meadow green cardstock and the grassy pieces on top.
Next, I added the fence pieces. I adhered the two outside fence pieces using liquid glue. Then, I used mini glue dots for the center fence piece.
After adhering the weather vane, I added the dimensional backed Chuck and sentiment.
This card turned out a bit bulky, so I will need to add extra postage to the envelope in order to mail it.
After adhering the inside panel, I’d finished this coordinated card, envelope, and envelope seal set.

I hope I’ve inspired you to play along with our challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a Peachy Day!

Sue

Colors Used:

Supplies Used:

You’re Invited!

Saturday, October 7, 2023 is World Cardmaking Day! You can sign up for this FREE virtual event by clicking on this link: https://www.stampinup.com/categories/whats-new/world-card-making-day

You don’t have to have the suggested bundles to join the fun! I don’t have them, and I can’t wait to participate1.