Hello Friends!

Today’s post was inspired by my horse, Ace. As I rounded the corner to our barn on my way for morning chores, he stuck his head over his stall door to say Hello! He’s my goofy, snuggly boy. He lets me bury my face in his neck and breathe in that amazing horse goodness any time I want to. Yes, happiness does have a smell!

I managed to capture a picture of him “smiling” at me this morning… sweet Ace!

With Springtime in the air, it’s time to get my boys out and “Take life by the reins”.

As soon as he gave me his goofy smile this morning, I knew I was going to be reaching for the stamp set “Let It Ride” for today’s project.

I enjoy using multiple ink colors with sponges or brayer to blend and create a background for silhouette-type images, but decided to do a little masking technique this morning as well.

Let’s see what you think…

LET IT RIDE – TAKE LIFE BY THE REINS

Card Recipe:

Colors used:            Early Espresso for card base

Cajun Craze for mat 1

Ornate Garden DSP for mat 2

Mossy Meadow for mat 3

Very Vanilla for main image panel

 

Measurements:

Card Front:

• Early Espresso card base: 5 1/2” x 8 1/2”; score at 4 1/4″ and fold in half for 5 1/2” x 4 1/4″ card.
• Cajun Craze mat 1: 5 3/8” x 4 3/8”
• Ornate Garden DSP mat 2: 5 1/4” x 4”
• Mossy Meadow mat 3: 4 1/4” x 3 1/4”
• Very Vanilla main image panel: 4” x 3”

 

Card Inside:

• Cajun Craze mat 1: 5 1/4” x 4”
• Ornate Garden DSP mat 2: 5” x 3 3/4″
• Very Vanilla sentiment panel: 4 3/4” x 3 1/2″

 

Making the image panel:

• Stamp the horse image from Let It Ride in Tuxedo Black ink just below center on the Very Vanilla panel.
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• Now use a Post-It note and stamp the image again, making sure the image is over part of the sticky strip. This is going to be our mask.
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• Fussy cut around the horse.
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• Place mask over stamped image on Very Vanilla panel.
• Cut out a 1” circle using the punch, again using a Post-It note for the adhesive factor.
• Place the circle mask in the upper left corner.
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• Now starting with the sun, use Crushed Curry and sponge a narrow band around the mask keeping the color darker toward the inside and bringing it out lighter as you move away from the mask.
• Now we’ll start on the sky. Using Soft Sky, sponge from the top down, going about halfway down the panel and working around the Crushed Curry.
• Repeat with Balmy Blue, starting at the top, working around the Crushed Curry, and bring that down about two-thirds into the Soft Sky, blending into it.
• Do the same with Blueberry Bushel, but keep it mostly at the top, just blending subtly into the Balmy Blue.
• Now we’re ready to start on the “ground” with the browns. We’re going to repeat the steps above, starting with the lightest color first, Sahara Sand. Start at the bottom of the panel this time, and work your way up letting the color get lighter as you go up.
• Bring the Sahara Sand just into the Soft Sky and blend for subtlety.
• Again, starting at the bottom with Crumb Cake, sponge up about two-thirds into the Sahara Sand, getting lighter as you go up.
• Repeat again with the Soft Suede, sponging just up into the Crumb Cake and blending.
• Finally, sponge the Early Espresso just along the bottom and barely up into the Soft Suede.
• Leaving your mask in place, ink up the tree stamp from Let It Ride with black ink and stamp the trees just at the horizon line all the way across; just go right over the mask.
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• Remove both the horse mask and the sun mask once you’re sure your ink is dry. You don’t want to smear it now after all that work!
• Using So Saffron ink, sponge in the center of your sun, pulling some of the color down through the Crushed Curry for a little “glow” effect.
• Color the horse with the dark and light Crumb Cake Stampin’ Blends.
• Cut your tag for the front sentiment using the small label in the All Dressed Up Dies, and stamp with the “Go for it!” stamp from Let It Ride in black ink.
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Let’s put it together:

• Adhere the DSP mat 2 to Cajun Craze mat 1.
• Adhere the main image panel to the Mossy Meadow mat 3.
• Adhere your main image stack to the DSP stack just right of center.
• Wrap some Linen Thread a couple times around the Cajun Craze/DSP stack on the left side and fasten ends to back.
• Cut 3 short pieces of Linen Thread and tie around the vertical threads as shown.
• Attach your sentiment label at the bottom under your main image.
• Apply a couple metallic pearls on each end of the sentiment for accent.
• Attach that whole stack now to the Early Espresso card base front.
• Your card front is done!

 

Card Inside:

• Stamp the tree stamp in black across the bottom of the Very Vanilla sentiment panel.
• Stamp the “Take Life By The Reins” in black in the Center.
• Layer the Sentiment panel over the DSP mat 2.
• Adhere the former layers to the Cajun Craze mat 1.
• And finally adhere that whole stack to the inside right panel of your card.
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I hope you’re getting some crafting time in while awaiting life’s return to normal.  I’ve been getting more crafting done than I have in a long time.  At this crafting rate, I might just have to buy more paper (she says laughing!)

Hug your loved ones and stay safe out there!

Until next time,

Janet

Product List

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