Jacqueline and Stamping Servant aka Rita, are hosting this weeks lovely teaparty for Rita's mum Ruth. Ruth has recently turned 90 and has moved to a nursing home. Ruth loves history and geography, we Teapotters are giving some fun facts about where we live.
Australia is the worlds largest island and is almost the same size as the USA (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) and has a population of 25 million. To put this in perspective Texas has a population on 28.3 million....there's plenty of room!! Kangaroo's out number people two to one.
DH and I spent almost 6 months camping in the outback this year. We both said the most memorable part of this amazing experience was the changing colour of the sky, day and night. Pure magic!! Sunset each night was truly breathtaking. The stars have to be seen to be believed, they actually looked like they were lying on the ground.
My card is as close as I could get to the real thing. I used HP glossy photograph paper, Distress Inks and the smack & squirt technique - smack ink pad onto aluminium foil, squirt on a lot of water and scrub the inky water onto the photo card using a foam blending tool.
This paper is hard to blend on, the foam brush seems to dig in. I never thought to use one of my new blending brushes - I'll give that a try next time and report back.
To get a bit of interest on the green distress ink, I used a YG99 Copic marker and flicked the nib to look like a bit of scrubby grass, then I removed some colour with a colourless Copic. If you love your Copics like your first born, I don't suggest you use them.
I went to a craft show last weekend and purchased this fabulous silhouette die by paperrose.com.au. Fellow Aussie Helen (thanks mate) introduced me to this great company, their Aussie designed stamps are gorgeous too.
People that work on farms/stations (ranches in USA - not sure what they are called in other parts of the world), I digress, here in Australia we don't have cowboys and cowgirls, they are called Jackaroo's and Jillaroo's.
I had better stop writing before this becomes a book. This will be heading Ruth's way tomorrow along with the postcard. Thank you very much for looking.
Date: Tuesday, December 4, 2018 GMT Views: 1580
Favorited:15
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni SCS Gallery Moderator Splitcoast Challenge Hostess Teapot Tuesday TEAm
Registered: July 27, 2007 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 131568
Tue, Dec 04, 2018 @ 11:03 PM
After reading the write-up in the notification email I was so looking forward to seeing this...and it's beautiful. Full of peace and calm. The stars at night are one of the things I really enjoy about camping, too. I still remember the first time I could really see the Milky Way and understand where it got its name.
Your scrubby grass looks great...and the die. And most of all the magical sky.
The problem might not be so much your blending sponge as the photo paper. It's not really designed to take water, and with some brands, the emulsion coating that makes it glossy starts dissolving when it gets wet. I've found this particularly with the HP that I have, it's no good at all for using with DOX, or for the technique where you spritz ink smooshed on a page protector and smash your paper in it. I've had some sticky gooey messes that have taken days to dry. Most brands work okay with alcohol inks but you don't get the same open working time that you do with 'real' glossy paper and the results are different. I guess the coating is designed to grab and absorb the printer ink quickly.
Registered: June 4, 2009 Location: Deatsville, Alabama Posts: 82476
Wed, Dec 05, 2018 @ 3:05 AM
Wow, wow, wow. AWESOME card, Susie. Wonderful bg, wonderful image, wonderful story (as always). I will definitely try to do this challenge too. You are so talented girl. Hugz
------------------------------ Nancy Williams - Hope your day is Spirit-filled and ink-filled (in that order)!DRS Designs-DT, Punchkateerforever, Dirty Dozen Alumni
Registered: February 10, 2006 Location: Mid-Atlantic Posts: 13091
Wed, Dec 05, 2018 @ 5:06 AM
Oh Susie .... what a beauty! May I say, "Wowzer"?!! The colors are just beautiful and the silhouette die is outstanding and perfect for your scene! I loved reading about your camping trip and the fabulous night skies you enjoyed. Mother is going to greatly enjoy your beautiful card and postcard which will "take her away" for a visit to beautiful Australia! Thank you for coming to Mother's tea party and helping her celebrate her 90th year!
------------------------------ Rita
God demonstrated His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us ... being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Romans 5:8 & 9
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni Splitcoast Challenge Hostess Teapot Tuesday TEAm
Registered: October 19, 2004 Location: SE North Carolina Posts: 11599
Wed, Dec 05, 2018 @ 9:22 AM
I loved reading your description of Australia Susie and feel like I learned a few things. For starters, I didn't know that there were more people in Texas than in the whole country of Australia and I didn't know there were more kangaroos than people. That's scares me...I once saw a show about kangaroos and according to it, they're very conniving and mean. One even lured a dog to the edge of a pond then tried to drown it by holding its head underwater. Every since I saw that I don't think kangas are that cute (except the one in Winnie-the-Pooh). I would LOVE to hear more about your treks to the outback and see pictures. What an adventure.
Getting back on topic though, your card is just mesmerizing...I saw it in the gallery yesterday and clicked on it immediately - the colors are just so captivating. Using the black silhouette die cut was the perfect way to go. If the skies really do look like that what a lucky gal you are to have seen it! I've always been mesmerized by photos of the Northern Lights in Alaska and the colorful skies out West. Well done my friend!
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Splitcoast Challenge Hostess Teapot Tuesday TEAm
Registered: January 19, 2014 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 90281
Wed, Dec 05, 2018 @ 10:40 AM
I love reading about your travels and love the sky line you colored Miss Susie. This has been a wonderful challenge we get to read more about our SCS family with some of the details people have added. Jackaroo's and Jillaroo's, that sure is not a term I have ever heard when watching an Australian movie over here. Interesting what we call cowboys and cowgirls vs Jackaroo's and Jillaroo's. That sure is one great die cut too. And despite that your blending did not come out as you had thought it would it sure looks great on the card the way it ended up. Ruth is going to just love this Miss Susie.
Registered: August 10, 2006 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 25290
Wed, Dec 05, 2018 @ 11:34 AM
Wow, my friend! This card is stunning. I love your story about Australia and its breathtaking sunsets. You did a marvelous job capturing them on your card. The sky is remarkably beautiful. Wow, the silhouette is fantastic! It fits so well with the background, and your doodling always looks wonderful. Your 6-month camping trip had to be awesome if you were in areas represented by the photos. I think I would not want to go home! I love this marvelous card! Susie, you are the best! Hugs!
Registered: March 31, 2008 Location: Eastlake, OH Posts: 22598
Wed, Dec 05, 2018 @ 1:13 PM
WOW on that sky! What vibrant colors and what wonderful impact it has on this scene. That is one awesome die you used. Never saw anything like it. That silhouette looks incredible against your dramatic sky!