Father in Laws Fathers Day Card

Hello Stampin' Friends!! LOOOOONG time no stamp? Sorry. I guess that is how it is going to be this summer. I will get to stampin' when I can. But the weather is HOT, the kids will be home.... lots of swimming to let them do, building a house, outside work. You know the drill!

SO! I finally stamped up my father in laws card. I was just brain dead. Couldn't figure out what stamp set to use. Wanted it to be one I thought he would like. I hope he likes the card. I think my mother in law will, and she will be the one that actually keeps it ;)

I used an old retired set, DD Pines by Stampin' Up! I THOUGHT I used a sketch challenge, but can't seem to find it. So did I make this sketch up! I swear I did not!!! The first step I did for this card is ink up those two large trees! I inked them in Versa Mark ink, then in Always Artichoke. I wanted to add texture, so BEFORE I stamped the trees, I then took the pine needle stamp, inked it in Basic Black, then stamped it directly on the rubber that is already inked with the Versa Mark and Artichoke. THEN I stamped it on the White Card stock!! I then clear embossed it. This is so I could create the sky and grass with out ruining the trees! I then positioned my circle cutter system and cut a partial circle, leaving the trees uncut so I could use my exacto knife and leave them 'out of the circle'. After the trees and the circle were cut, sponged a bit of So Saffron, then the Wild Wasabi Green for the grass. The sky is Soft Sky and Blue Bayou. I added a bit of grass with a Stampin' Mark marker and some flowers are just dots with the Brocade Blue Stampin' Write Marker. That piece is done. The diamond is Always Artichoke textured with the Cuttlebug embossing folder. I then placed that layering section on top of my white card stock so I could get an idea of where I wanted the bear to be positioned. I then inked up my bear in Versa Mark ink,Creamy Caramel on the face and feet, and Choco Chip on the body. I took the pine needles again and textured it with the Close to Cocoa ink. I added some black around the nose and edges of feet and back before FINALLY stamping him on the white!! Then I clear embossed him!!! Once he was embossed, I could brayer the sky and grass. Draw in some flowers. The geese were stamped in Basic Black, directly over the brayered sky. I used my white gel pen to added the white back to the geese. I guess the rest is just layering, gluing, and doodling!

Happy Stampin' guys!! Sorry I am not posting every day like before! I just have so much family life right now to attend too!!