Summer time is in full swing here in the USA, and there are plenty of people enjoying their vacations on a sandy shore somewhere. With vacations by the sea in mind, I created a fun beach themed card that includes a sandcastle made of sandpaper! (Free Template at the bottom of this post!)
To create the background for my card, I used the technique Verna shared with us in Friday’s guest designer post. I started with watercolor paper (scored every 3/4 of an inch) and used Hickory Smoke Distress Ink to create my faux woodgrain. After I swiped my ink, I lightly misted it with water and heat set it before distressing the edges of my panel.
Next, I traced the sandcastle (template below) onto rough sandpaper and cut it out. I used my craft knife to cut out the windows and doors and adhered some teal colored cardstock behind each one. To add a bit of detail, I traced around the insides with a white gel pen before layering the completed castle on dark brown cardstock.
In the top left corner I added two strips of Washi Tape and a die cut sentiment from Sizzix.
To dress up my card, I added a pretty paper doily behind the sandcastle using the Hello Doily Set (Sizzix). The bottom corner has a collage of cheesecloth, burlap string, a pretty Petaloo bloom, and two die cuts from the Cuttlebug cut/emboss set “Under the Sea.”
To decorate the inside, I used a small paintbrush and some water-diluted Distress Oxide ink (Broken China) to paint a small swatch on one side. Over the top I stamped a seahorse (By The Sea Sentiments -MSE) in Ground Espresso Distress Ink (Tim Holtz).
I’d love to see your summertime cards so stop by the CURRENT CHALLENGE and link up any projects that use products from companies Cropstop carries in the store.
Aren’t you ever the clever one that is such a great idea with the sandpaper, I love the turquoise behind it, great job on the wood background too, love the little beach touches as well!
So lovely – great layout as well – TFS