GCA #76 - Back to the Chalkboard!

Hello all!!! We have had some fabulously sunny, still cold, days here in Michigan!!! Makes you realize that at some point winter will come to an end!

Over on SCS yesterday, the mini VSN was opening. The theme for this VSN is the Winter Olympics. There were 7 challenges to get us warmed up for the main event in February. I've talked about VSN before on here and just how much fun it is. The challenges the hostesses come with are so fun and really can stretch you as a stamper.

So, that is where the challenge for this week comes in!! One of the challenges was to use the chalkboard technique on your card. I think I've done this technique once or twice, and forget how easy and fun it is. You also wind up with an amazing image. For a detailed tutorial, click on the highlighted word and it will take you to the tutorial by Beate Johns on SCS.

Basically, you use dark colored card stock like black, brown or even navy. You will also need a white craft (pigment) ink pad and pastels. Even if you have a small supply of these, you can still make this work! If you do not have any pastels there are some alternatives listed with the tutorial. You can use any type of image, solid or line, since you are adding color and not necessarily coloring "in".

Here's the how to:

1. Stamp your image using the white craft ink onto the dark card stock. In my sample I used black.

2. You do not need to heat set or wait for the craft ink to dry. Using a sponge dauber, q-tip or whatever you use to apply chalks, GENTLY dab the colors over your image. You don not want to swirl your dauber as it will smear the image.

3. Once you have all the areas covered with chalks, GENTLY wipe off the excess with a Swiffer cloth or paper towel. There is no need to seal this when you are done, unless you want too. My image is not sealed.

4. Finish your card!

My sample is claen and simple, which is so unlike me!! But, during VSN you only have 45 minutes to complete your card!! This card was actually made from all scraps! Love it when I can do that.

It starts with a base of Real Red and top-folded. The Whisper White Top Note die was originally a card itself, but I used the other side awhile ago. So this layer had the top edge trimmed a bit and this is how I liked it best on the card. I used the leaves from the bird/bamboo image in the Asian Artristry set around the edges in Kiwi Kiss.

The main image was stamped with Whisper White craft and stamped onto basic black. I used my chalks in Real Red and Old Olive to color it in. Backed it with a piece of Kiwi Kiss and paired it with the dragonfly stamped in black staz on onto Real Red.

I used the polka-dot red gg, turned over, alongwith the black gingham for the ribbon. Happy birthday was stamped in black staz on from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Upload your creation to either your blog or to an online gallery and post a link to your creation to this blog entry by February 6, 2010 at 12 midnight. I will choose the winner the next day. If you upload your card to SCS, PaperCraft Planet, Stampin' Addicts or Stamp TV, please put GCA76 in your keywords. That way everyone can see all of the wonderful creations at once!

Even if you can't make the drawing deadline, PLEASE feel free to participate in the challenges and upload your creations at any time. I would love to see it! And yes, my challenge is open to everyone who visits, even if you live outside the US!

Happy Stamping!!!

~~~Ann~~~