Baby Bump

I very recently found out that one of my co-workers (at my day job) is soon to me a new daddy. I've known him for close to a decade and am thrilled he and his sweetie are expecting. Since she's due to deliver later this month, she's likely to be about this size *laugh* I'll be giving him the card tomorrow when we return to normal hours at work.. unless she's early and he's started his paternity leave *laugh*

Challenges

Scribbles Designs challenge: Ring In the New
Dies R Us: Anything Goes
Crafy Hazelnut's Patterned Paper: Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door: Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination: Anything Goes
Penny's Paper-Crafty: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: Anything Goes

Supplies

InLinkz.com

Putting It Together

During the Kit and Clowder Facebook Advent Calendar event, I was the lucky winner of a free stamp from Noxine Stamps. I fell in love with the Aviva Expecting a Baby stamp and instantly thought of my co-worker's impending daddy-hood.

Aviva Expecting a Baby is a digital stamp which means it comes as an image file that needs to be printed instead of a rubber or photopolymer stamp. I have an HP deskjet printer. To paint with water on printed digis, I need to first "fix" the ink. I print the image on light weight (80lb) watercolour card stock cut down to an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet (maximum size my printer supports) then spray it with hairspray and let that sit and dry for several hours (or sometimes a few days). 

I used Distress Inks and waterbrushes to paint the image.

• Hair: Tea Dye, Rusty Hing, and Ground Espresso
• Skin: Spun Sugar, Tattered Rose, and Victorian Velvet
• Blanket and eyes: Tumbled Glass, Broken China, and Faded Jeans

I used the Spellbinders Lacy Ovals to die cut the image. To the left of it, you can see my notes on inks used. I make notes as I paint.

Looking through my growing stash of patterned papers, I remembered the Precious Memories collection and the lovely baby themed papers. The blues I used for her blanket and the blues of the sheet work well together. Before cutting it, I dry fit it with the image and Congratulations die cut from silver foiled cardstock using a Way With Word die from Elizabeth Craft Designs. I love the Way With Words dies with their elegant calligraphy.  

I trimmed the patterned sheet and dry fit again. It seemed to be missing something.

I ran the Brilliance Platinum Dew Drop along the edge of the patterned paper to create a thin silver border which was just the right finishing touch.

I attached the patterned paper directly to the card base I had made and then used foam mounting tape below the oval to pop it up. Since the "Congratulations" crossed both the lower card area and the oval, I used foam mounting tape on part of it and directly adhered it to the oval.

Inside, I added scrap from the patterned paper and a sentiment from Heartfelt.