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5/21/2015

Impression Obsession Happy Birthday

Welcome & Good morning. Back again with a birthday card made with an Impression Obsession image by Gary Robertson called Wagon Wheel. Gary is one of my favorite of the IO artists and his images are always so evocative of a bygone time..very detailed and take time to color. I decided to use Polychromos pencils on this one. Thought it would give a more vintage look to the final card. I keep trying to improve my pencil blending, but it doesn't come easily to me.  Our family has a lot of birthdays during the summer, so this is one of the first ones due for a nephew.


- Image was colored, then die cut with a S/B deckled rectangle.

- coppery background was an attempt to create the faux tile technique I had seen on SCS, done by Dina Kowal. Mine didn't turn out as nicely as did Dina's, but I liked it anyway. Covered a piece of cardboard from a Cola 6 pack carrier with gesso, and while it was wet, covered it with aluminum foil. Let that dry overnight. Next used some metallic copper acrylic paint, spread with a brayer, several coats.

- C/B oriental motif EF to emboss this piece, and discovered the aluminum can tear easily.
After this embossing, used some Inca Gold (in the larger containers. I've found that the small pots of this stuff - which may be an older formulation - dry so completely that you cannot rehydrate them. So I will not buy any more of this small pots!!!). Spread this with my finger - trying to get just on the top of the embossing. Then carefully wiped this down with a paper towel. I think the places where the silver foil peeks through adds a bit of patina.

Some Starform gold stickers for the corners & sentiment finished it off. As I look at the photo, the sentiment is not showing up as well as it should. However, it's down well, so I am not about to try to change it now! Been there, done that, and wished I had just left things alone.

Base card is just a slightly textured brown. I think it will work well for a guy. Hope you like this one.
Hugs


34 comments:

  1. Oh my Momma Mary, this card is stunning! I love how you did the background. Such texture and such a neat look. I think the foil has to be in a thicker layer, or at least a video I watched about embossing with foil had to be. But it doesn't matter because your background turned out really good! I love that image, a lot to color but so worth it! I think your sentiment shows up fine and I think this is a great card for a nephew! Hugs, Brenda

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  2. So beautiful and peaceful looking. I love the faux tile background and that copper look. The image is gorgeous. Great coloring with the pencils too!
    Lynn

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  3. Your card is just beautiful Mary! Your coloring is awesome. The image is just like stepping back in to a peaceful time, love it.
    thanks for commenting on my blog awhile back.

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  4. This is a lovely image Mary and the pencils do indeed give it a softer more vintage feel. I think the embossed background is beautiful and so clever to use cardboard covered with foil which gives the embossing a more substantial look and such a beautiful colour with the gold wax on top too. I'm sure your nephew will be delighted with this. x

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  5. Super image Mary, I can understand why you like this artist's work. You've put a lot of work into your background and it looks good. Hugs Christine xx

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  6. This is absolutely gorgeous, Mary!! The image is so pretty and colored beautifully!! I love the texture of the background paper!! It looks amazing!! Have a great day :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  7. Such a beautiful image and I love your design!

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  8. Love that image Mary...right up my street!! The pencils were a brilliant choice for colouring as it looks lovely. Such a great background too, very clever xx

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  9. Beautiful card for a guy, Mary!!! Love that peaceful scene and the lovely brown bg you've put it on!!! All the gold accents are lovely and I think the sentiment looks fine!!!!! Great card!!!
    Have a lovely day!!!
    Hugz

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  10. Mary, this card is just wonderful. Thanks so much for the link to the beautiful stamp. The technique for the background is also very interesting. I like the look and I have all the supplies on hand to try it. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  11. Mary, this card is just wonderful. Thanks so much for the link to the beautiful stamp. The technique for the background is also very interesting. I like the look and I have all the supplies on hand to try it. Thanks for the inspiratio

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  12. I think you achieved what you aimed for, to give this image an old look. And I really like the metallic look of the embossed piece, it's a lovely card.

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  13. That's a love image Mary, I love the corners, just finishes the design off lovely!
    hugs jacee
    Simply Paper Card Design

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  14. Super card Mary...what a gorgeous image. Love the faux tiling in the background, I haven't come across that before! Carol x

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  15. Fabulous card Mary, I love the image that you coloured so beautifully. I think you were right to use pencils for a vintage look on this one. Your embossed background panel is gorgeous too, the texture and metallic colour look great.
    Jean x

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  16. A monumental effort on the background, and amazing colouring in, make this a stunning piece, well done xxx

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  17. This must have taken quite a while to colour Mary but it was well worth it, it's wonderful.
    Lorraine

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  18. Beautiful card Mary, lovely scene image with a fabulous background.
    Pam

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  19. This is so pretty with the softly colored image, and the embossed background is nothing short of fabulous! I love those corner accents too!

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  20. So pretty, Mary! Your colouring looks amazing!

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  21. What a stunning card Mary - I must ry that technique - I meant to and forgot about it.... and promptly tried something else :-).
    Love the way you have coloured the image.
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  22. Beautifully coloured Mary! Love the vintage image. And the texture and colour of your embossed panel really framed your image perfectly. xx

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  23. It's gorgeous, Mary. Looks frabric-y enough to me. And so beautifully coloured too.
    hugs, Asha

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  24. Lovely card.

    Hope you have a fab Friday. Sue, Polly & Honey

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  25. Hello Mary-Beautiful vintage style card-what a lovely image you have chosen.
    Have a lovely day,Nessa xxx

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  26. Awesome job Miss Mary! Love the background, it really sets off your image so well. The coloring of the image is gorgeous and love how you managed to include your trademark - the little cardinal!

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  27. Beautiful card Mary! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  28. This is a lovely image and so perfect for a guy! I think you've done a wonderful job of coloring! Your blending is awesome! I haven't colored much with pencils. I have some Prismacolor that I blend with odorless turpentine. I haven't done anything with them in a long time. I got the watercolor bug!

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  29. Wonderful card Mary, gorgeous textured backgeoun and lovely image, hugs Kate x

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  30. well I think your colouring is fabulous and the background is absolutely brilliant
    Carol x

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  31. Mary, I love the image and the way you have coloured it. Off to take a look at the link you put in to see what else the artist has done. x

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  32. This is a fabulous mix of techniques and I love them all, you really are clever at attempting all of them and getting them to be beautiful. A great card.

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  33. WOW...what a wonderful card. Love the sweet scene you created, and that background is stunning, goes so nicely with your spring flowers and that adorable little bird is as sweet as can be!

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  34. Your coloring is lovely. Blending might not come easy to you but you did a beautiful job with it. I really like your coppery background. It came out amazing. I think we tend to be our own worst critics. I'm sure your nephew will love this card.

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