Just Clowning Around

I purchased My Favorite Things' Clowning Around stamp set, part of the Pure Innocence line, at the same time I got the Crafty Friends set I used in the last post. It had been sitting on my desk for weeks when I decided to use it, along with some Catherine Pooler Designs inks, for the April 19th challenge over at Splitcoaststampers. I used to be a professional entertainer known as LolliPop the Clown in my younger days, so clowns hold a special place in my heart. I *had* to make a great card with the set!

The challenge SC641 sketch challenge looks like this:

I grabbed Fiesta Blue, Tiara, and Party Dress from the CPD's Party Collection to begin with, and went direct-to-paper with the ink pads to create the vibrant background. It seemed a bit flat so I decided to add some patterns from background stamps to jazz things up a bit. I used Something Borrowed with the Fiesta Blue, Tiki Torch with the Tiara, and Stampin' Up!'s Melon Mambo with the Party Dress. (Don't you just love the names of Catherine's inks? They make me smile.)

Next I stamped the clown in Memento Tuxedo Black and colored it with markers and blender pens. In the process I learned that the Catherine Pooler inks watercolor brilliantly, much to my delight. Here's the card:

(Click to enlarge photo.)

After using a coordinating die to cut out the clown, I popped him/her up on foam dots and colored over it's outfit with Wink of Stella, added black and white baker's twine to the balloons which were created with a SU! punch, and stamped the sentiments. Here is the inside of the card:

I carried the stitching theme from the front to inside by using one of my favorite rectangle die sets, and then added a balloon with a twine string. If I had to do it over again, I would make the balloon either Fiesta Blue or Party Dress to add more color. (I think a brain fart caused me to grab the Tiara!)

I'm pleased with how this card came together, and I credit much of it to the sketch. It gave me a good reason to pull out my until-now unused curved dies, too, so that's a bonus!

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At the moment I have a slew of cards that need to be finished up (mostly the insides and envelopes) and photographed, so I hope you'll swing by for the next post.

Silly Smiles,

Joyce Spear a.k.a. StamperJoyce a.k.a. LolliPop the Clown  🤡