WooHoo it is time to tickle a Teapotter and our sweet Greenie aka Irishgreensue, has taken us on a journey to the Emerald Isle in celebration of St. Patrick's Day and the month of March. Greenie shared Finn O'Flanigans story and The Irish Blessing with us.
Here we have Greenie McSpud welcoming visitors to his wee log house at Muckanaghederdauhaulia (and you thought Whykickamoocow was weird). His little owl mate, Warty O'Blaze agreed to dye his feathers green in honour of the month long celebrations. Sprinkles McFearsome the fairy, is happily fluttering in the background...I had to cut her legs off to fit (it was that or her head... it was a pretty easy choice).
There are all sorts of stamps used here. Greenie started out life as free digi by Mary Ellen Smith at Free Dearie Dolls Digi Stamps, Warty and Sprinkles are rubber Unity Stamps and the tree trunk and little hollow tree house are clear stamps from Lavinia Stamps in the UK.
Greenie the leipreachán was coloured with Copics, while Warty and Sprinkles were coloured with distress inks and inktense pencils using an aqua pen. For the background I cut a couple of panels to fit the card front and I did the regular smack and squirt technique (smack distress ink pad onto al foil, squirt on water and using a foam blending tool, scrub the inky water onto the cardstock, add a bit more colour without adding water) .
I then stamped the tree....well that did not work!!! The orange and blue were too intense to cover and no matter how much brown ink I added, the tree had too much colour. I cut the tree off and used the remains for the background where Sprinkles is hovering. I then stamped the tree trunk on smooth white cardstock and using a dauber I scrubbed on walnut stain and rusty hinge distress inks.
I was too impatient to make a mask for the tree trunk so I applied the green, orange and blue direct to the card (no diluting) with foam blending tools straight from the ink pad. It took 10 times longer to do this panel than it did for the rest of the card. Applying the ink directly from the pad not only takes ages, it takes soooooo much more ink and to top it off, it went a bit muddy!! Thankfully the muddy bit suits the card, but it really has convinced me that Smack & Squirt is the way to go.
The little tree house is stamped on the background so the outer roots look nice and dark, I also stamped it on cardstock and fussy cut the main circle and rocks, then stuck it directly over the background stamped image. I cut around the door so that it opens.
Before sticking Greenie, Warty and Sprinkles in place I gave them some glitter (hard to see in photo) and I stamped on some trees and foliage.
Thank you for looking. As always, I had lots of fun making this knowing it is going to a Teapotter.
P.S. I found a fun St.Patrick's Day Leprechaun Name Generator on line (and the Irish way to spell leipreachán). Our hostess, Sue Worthington translates to Greenie McSpud, my name becomes Warty O'Blaze and in honour of our true Irish Teapotter, Sabrina's name is Sprinkles McFearsome. Muckanaghederdauhaulia is a real place in Ireland that means "pig-marsh between two saltwaters", but you probably knew that.
Date: Monday, March 30, 2015 GMT Views: 2325
Favorited:7
Registered: February 5, 2007 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 92665
Wed, Apr 01, 2015 @ 5:41 AM
Outstanding, uber creative and exquisitely executed...and 2000 other superlatives, Susie!! The little door looks like those "fairy doors" that people are putting on tree bases nowadays.
Registered: February 28, 2010 Location: Eastern Ohio Posts: 6277
Wed, Apr 01, 2015 @ 9:00 AM
Wow and wow for sure--loved your story and your Irish lesson that I did not know--even being a wee bit Irish--LOL. Came out so beautiful and still not sure where to look as so much to see and not miss---Great job Miss Susie for a sweet card. Akeeper.
Registered: December 15, 2011 Location: Abilene TX Posts: 11275
Thu, Apr 02, 2015 @ 7:19 AM
It's a good thing I don't have to talk to make comments, because I am blown away speechless! Your story is as perfect as the card, and that took some doing! I love the real- life characters portrayed so perfectly, LOL! I hope whoever gets this prints the description to keep with it - they're both priceless!
------------------------------ JodyLynn - "Love me - love my cats!" DTGD12, DTGD14, HYCCT12, HYCCT13, HYCCT14, HYCCT15, Love Fest 2013, Love Fest 2014 CAS and CC guest designer QFTD 258
Registered: March 31, 2008 Location: Eastlake, OH Posts: 22598
Thu, Apr 02, 2015 @ 10:14 PM
Susie, this one brings ALL smiles as all your cards do! Who doesn't look forward to one of your step cards, complete with stories and fun characters! Your background technique is fabulous, softly blended so perfectly!
Registered: October 21, 2010 Location: in the okanagan in b.c. canada Posts: 13012
Sat, Apr 04, 2015 @ 12:13 PM
LOL...after reading this awesome story and continually admiring the deep rich colorful beauty, I had to find out what my name was too,...lol..so me being ......" Sneaky Twinkletoes " is so along for this Irish Party. So much hard work here, but enjoyed and admired by so many....LOVE it am so excited to vist this neat tree-house...TFS...HUGS
------------------------------ We as people are raindrops of colorful ink , falling down Crisp and Clear, each a different shade more vibrant then the last, but once we realize at the bottom of an endless abyss we all fall into the same inkpot forming one color, only then can we come together as one My son.
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Registered: October 26, 2009 Location: Oakhurst, near Yosemite Nat'l Park. Posts: 46821
Sun, Apr 05, 2015 @ 7:34 AM
This is so cute Susie! I don't know how I missed it mate!!! Wow, love all your greenie characters and their names! Can you pronounce that name of a place for us on paper so we can say it??? LOL! You are such a fun character! You should write stories and like I keep hounding you, do these as funny blog post!! our cards and stories are wonderful!
------------------------------ Blessings, Robin Encourage one anotherMy Blog-InkMagination , QFTD201,Dirty Dozen Alumni.Impression Obsession DT, ECraftDesigns DT, Formerly HC DT, ODBD DT, DRS DT