Star Stampers Week 4 Lockdown Challenge

We're heading into week 4 in New Zealand of lock down & this week I got to set the Challenge for the Star Stampers (my Stampin' Up! team I belong too).

I chose that the challenge this week was all about "STARS" as we are after all the Star Stampers.

Even though I own a SU! star stamp-set I chose to work with an old mask (stencil) that I'd bought a few years ago which came as well as the falling stars with a heart mask.

This was my first idea for a card.

And I still really like the idea but I used a pot of Nuvo Gold Glimmer paste for the stars and I'm a 100% positive I've never opened the jar but it was horrible to work with. I think it had dried out too much in it's "sealed pot", it also wouldn't stick & it was impossible to remove the glitter from the mask/stencil but they still do what they're supposed to do anyhow even if they're dirty looking or in this case all sparkly.

To make the card I made a mask by using a circle die on some masking paper. I then added my mask to my piece of shimmery white card stock (#121717), this card stock works really well for blending but you can also use whisper white etc. The colours I used for my blend were Coastal Cabana, Granny Apple Green, Mango Melody & Terracotta Tile. I've also used Picket Fences Life Changing Brushes to do my blending.

I love the saying & the cute wee doggy from Bella & Friends (retired). Anyhow I love this technique with a small cute image or a flower that you can cut out & pop up on dimensionals & the less we say about the "stars" the better.

So as I wasn't scoring a gold star for my first effort I thought I'd try another idea with my masking paper to make a strip on a card.

This time I used embossing paste (again one in my stash that I'd owned for a few years from Prima) to do an emboss resist technique and you can see the colours I used to blend. In hindsight I should have attached the masking paper on a grid mat to line it all perfectly before blending on my craft mat as 'sob' they weren't really equal straight lines, so I had to cut out a strip with my paper trimmer to make this card, with the saying from Beautiful You (#151412) which is so appropriate at this point in time. The background mat colour is Mango Melody. I've also flicked water at the strip & blotted dry to add a few more homemade stars.

Again if you look some of the stars are a bit missing so I was feeling rather grumpy at this stage & my fingers were really Night of Navy Blue :) So thought one more try so I went back to my practice blend & put the mask on top & removed colour with a damp baby wipe & then flicked some water drops on top too.

So again I cut out the strip & this time added to a thick whisper white card base.

Well I think all 3 star cards are pretty & I'm giving myself a bronze star for the finish but a gold star for having fun & getting my fingers inky.

I'm also giving myself a gold star for inspiring Diane Pawley to get out her old mask & make this adorable card for the challenge using the hostess set New Wonders (#149426). Her stars are fabulous!!

✿ Karen ✿