Late! TTCRD blog challenge inspiration - oil pastel & Prismacolour pencils

The White Rabbit is famous the world over for his fear of being late. His pocket watch guides his way to keep his appointments.

For this week's inspiration for the Through the Craftroom Door challenge, I used 2 images from Polkadoodles Winnie Wonderland collection, I'm Late and Pocketwatch, to create my belated birthday card.

This week's sponsor for the challenge at Through the Craftroom Door is Polkadoodles! Come join the challenge at TTCRD, the prize is a voucher for 3 digis.

Polkadoodles was formed in May 2009 by husband and wife team Nikky and Kris Hall.

Nikky has crafted all her life since being a small child and was recognised throughout school for her Artistic and Calligraphy skills. Although she did not go to Art College after school, her career involved working in the media, print and packaging industries where she gained a wealth of experience from designing adverts to planning TV and Radio advertising, PR and Photography campaigns for large Corporate clients. After many years in this field she moved into Print and Packaging, working closely with studios for clients such as Cadburys, Mars, Nestle, Tesco, Disney, Boots and many other large Corporate clients.

As a Freelance illustrator and designer Nikky also designs for many other Crafting brands - often anonymously - and her artwork can be seen on many other products on the high street.

Polkadoodles shop

Polka Doodle Dandies on Facebook

Polkadoodles challenge blog

Putting It Together

I'm Late and Pocketwatch are great digis as part of the Winnie Wonderland collection from Polkadoodles. I had fun working with them.

I printed I'm Late in 2 sizes because I wasn't sure what I wanted to make when I started. I like the freedom of sizing that digis give. I printed the images on lightwight watercolour cardstock (90lb) so I could use a water medium.

For Yule, my good friend Betty gave me a set of  Colour A La Cremes from Prima. They're water soluble oil pastels. Oil and water together blow my mind a bit, but these work beautifully. Because I wanted a softer look, for most of the colours, I scribbled the crayon on a piece of plastic (recycled packaging) and then used waterbrushes to pick up the pigment. I got new brushes from Prima from the many 12-Days of Christmas sales and used them the first time on this project. I like them as well.

The Colour A La Cremes watercolouring all done. 

I wanted to add some more depth details and Prismacolour pencils are on my desk so I figured, why not.. The two work together wonderfully. 

Colouring all done.

I fussy cut the image with a narrow margin to keep all the fuzzy hairs and whiskers.

I have a soft place in my heart for Graphic 45 and the Hallowe'en in Wonderland is a great collection. I wanted to use one of the sheets in my stash so I dry fit the white rabbit with them. 

I trimmed the watch advert from the Wonderland Classifieds to pair with the image. I decided to use my white rabbit to cover the rabbit on the advert.

I used Distress ink with a blender to darken the edges and give it a finished look.

The white card base was a bit too start, so I found copper foiled vellum in my stash to add as a background.
 

Since the watercolour paper was so lightweight, I traced the trimmed image on heavier cardstock to cut and add to the back to make it stand up more.

After I chose the advert, the idea of the watch on the inside with a belated birthday greeting popped in my head. I printed the Pocketwatch on the cardstock I use for a card base. Even though inside a card is just a single layer card inverted, positioning the watch was oddly a bit of a challenge partly from software limitations on the computer in my workshop (I'm too used to using Photoshop for image editing on my laptop downstairs).

Because of the pattern on the vellum, using standard tape runner to adhere it to the card base didn't show through so I didn't need a frame to hide it. I decided not to pop-up the rabbit with foam tape to have a completely flat card to go through the mail with ease. 

Inside I added a sentiment from Stampendous to go with the time theme. 

Challenges

Through the Craftroom Door: Anything Goes - Come join us with the challenge!

Emerald Creek Dares: NEW...Year to Craft! (see below)

Simon Says Stamp Monday: Something New (see below)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper: Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Anything Goes

Inspiration Destination: Anything Goes

Crafty Gals Corner: Anything Goes

Creative Craft Cottage: Anything Goes

A Bit More Time to Craft: Anything Goes

Love to Scrap: Anything Goes

Pearly Sparkles: Anything Goes

New products in this project: Colour A La Creames and waterbrushes from Prima Marketing