Our Teapot Tuesday cards are going across the ditch to New Zealand this week to the dad of our lovely Teapotter, Crazy Kim. Marie gave us a fun story and set a challenging task this week - the animals have escaped from the zoo!!
I don't have any zoo animal stamps but I do have crazy bird stamps. This chumbulumba (weight challenged) bird can morphed into almost anything. Here we have Geraldine the Giraffe strutting around, enjoying her new found freedom.
It will come as no surprise that the technique for this card was Smack & Squirt - smack distress ink onto aluminium foil, squirt on a lot of water and scrub/swish inky water over the card using a foam blending tool. Starting at the bottom of the panel, scrub on Mowed Grass distress ink. Using a clean piece of foil, move onto the sky - combination of Faded jeans, Salty Ocean and Broken China. Before inking the edges with Walnut Stain distress ink, lightly spritz the panel, then flick some water for a different effect.
Geraldine was made by sketching a neck on a scrap of paper - make and cut out a template. Using my MISTI, I put her head in place, laid the template over her feet, then stamped the image. Leaving the stamp in place on the lid, remove from MISTI. Use a light pencil to outline her neck and using Smack & Squirt technique, swish the watery ink all over the head and outlined area.
Vintage Photo was the only colour used on Geraldine - a lot of water was used on her body and not so much on the patches (applied with an aqua pen). Once dry, draw her neck and around the chin with a black marker. Put the panel back into MISTI (and the neck mask) and re-stamp using VersaFine ink to darken up her head. Fussy cut.
Before attaching Gerri to the card I put the panel in MISTI and stamped hanging leaves. The reeds down the bottom started out life on a wooden block. Since I got a MISTI,
no stamps have survived in my house on their wooden blocks.
Microwave for 10 seconds and carefully peel the red rubber away from the block. Make sure you only peel off the red rubber, not the foam bit. There is no need to use anything other than a school glue stick to adhere to MISTI. I use a Bostik glue stick, Elmer's would be the same. To use, position stamp where you want it to go - apply glue stick over the entire surface, close the lid. There is enough movement to reposition the stamp if necessary - just slide it into place without lifting it. It will not move once you start stamping - no matter how many times you stamp. Treat the stamp as you would an acrylic stamp. The glue stick is quick and easy to clean up using an alcohol free baby wipe when you finish.
After I stamped the reeds across the bottom, I attached Geraldine to the card. Put the card back into MISTI, mask the reeds with a few post-it notes. Ink up the reeds stamp again and stamp over the top of Gerri's neck - this gives the illusion that she is in the middle of the reeds.
A doodled border and a few white spots were added here and there along with some black spots (spotty stamp handmade by a wonderful crafty friend Rachel).
Thank you for looking, I had sooooo much fun making this. I hope it brings some smiles to Kim's dad Tom.
Date: Monday, November 9, 2015 GMT Views: 2943
Favorited:19
Registered: March 31, 2008 Location: Eastlake, OH Posts: 22598
Tue, Nov 10, 2015 @ 3:23 PM
oh my gosh, I laughed out loud when I saw this one! Tom will too, I'm sure! Your artwork is amazing and your imagination is off the charts! The hand drawn spots are fabulous, Susie and so are the stamps you used in your background! He's awesome and I'm still smiling!
Registered: December 4, 2009 Location: Southern Utah's Dixie Posts: 20577
Tue, Nov 10, 2015 @ 7:25 PM
Oh Susie, the things you do with the Crazy Birds! I love this giraffe bird and where your creativity takes you and us! The smiles you put on our faces. I love your word chumbulumba, somehow I see myself in there. I've told my friends about your Crazy Birds, hoping to give them inspiration! I love it!
Registered: December 15, 2011 Location: Abilene TX Posts: 11275
Tue, Nov 10, 2015 @ 7:44 PM
I knew from the thumbnail this was you and another transformed Crazy Bird! You are SO amazingly creative with these stamps - how would you like to design me a frog? Kidding, I am going to give it a shot - inspired entirely by YOU! Now I digress. This is so fun and so wonderful. and I KNOW it will make Tom feel better! And thanks for the glue stick tip! Temporary adhesive just makes a mess!
------------------------------ 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: October 3, 2009 Location: In a state of grace Posts: 10850
Tue, Nov 10, 2015 @ 7:55 PM
I'm not sure which brings me more joy - seeing your fabulous creations or reading your journey of how they come to be! Your recently liberated friend is emblematic of your free creative spirit. I love the amazing background and peaceful scene that you created for Gerri...everything about this card is perfect! Thank you so much for coming to Tom's Teaparty...he is going to love this! Make sure to grab some of those cookies (I'm sure that there is a giraffe or two in there!) Big hugs from New Jersey!
------------------------------ MarieMy time is not mine to have, but mine to share
Registered: December 14, 2007 Location: Vancouver canada Posts: 8914
Tue, Nov 10, 2015 @ 8:39 PM
Susie, your cards make laugh so much, only you can make a crazy bird into a giraffe, i'm surprised it doesn't have those special Susie legs, you know the ones with black and white socks hee hee.
By the way I'm also almost done with my de-blocking, the MISTI has created a job in it self, well worth it.
Registered: February 28, 2010 Location: Eastern Ohio Posts: 6277
Wed, Nov 11, 2015 @ 8:08 AM
Who knew---a crazy bird giraffe---what next. So sweet those eyes gazing lovingly. Great job, and as usual so much going on and done to make the perfect card. Smiling here.
Registered: August 13, 2006 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 5508
Wed, Nov 11, 2015 @ 6:04 PM
I look forward every week to see what new creature you have created. You have such an amazing imagination and your painting skills are awesome. Susie you are such a special person and we are so fortunate to have you on SCS. TFS
------------------------------ QFTD171 Stampin Gramma (Faith W.) Proud Fan Club Member! Member of RAK and BRAK
Registered: June 10, 2015 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 173
Wed, Nov 11, 2015 @ 9:04 PM
Such a creative approach with the giraffe Susie! From a far it's just a giraffe. But then the crazy bird caught my eyes. I thought I was seeing thing at first being it's midnight here in Ohio. But no. It's a bird! WOW! Oh I love your creative approach to your cards and this one just too cute and clever! Thanks so much for sharing the steps. Pinned and saved for future try out. AMAZING piece Susie! Hugs!
------------------------------ CHRISTINA HOR | MY BLOG |
Registered: March 8, 2005 Location: Halfway between Dallas and Houston Posts: 24020
Thu, Nov 12, 2015 @ 7:04 PM
Suzie, Suzie! Your crazy bird Giraffe had me giggling from the moment I saw it. And then when I read your description, I realized this card is no laughing matter. This was seriously a lot of work! You really created the entire card from scratch! No box mixes for you! Just like scratch baking, your card from scratch was well worth the extra effort! Just Fantastic!
------------------------------ Proud Fan Club Member
Dirty Dozen Alumni
"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."
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Registered: July 27, 2007 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 132012
Sat, Nov 14, 2015 @ 6:35 AM
Susie, you are amazing!! Who else would have thought of turning that bird into a giraffe's head. I just don't have the eye for that sort of thing. And, as always, your classic Susie background is beautiful.