RSD EDT - Progressive Challenge ....

...  Hello all!  Welcome to Part I - Take II of the November Progressive Challenge.  Part I of the Progressive Challenge has an Anything Goes theme - you can make anything you like so long as you use a Rick St Dennis image.  You can get your images from either Rick's Zibbet or Esty shops - there's a huge selection ranging from cute to scary!  Here's my card:

Stamps: RSD Digi - Mexican Clown Troupe; Sweet Stamp Shop - Dia De Los Muertos
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Violet Crush; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear

I was lucky enough to win this image of the Mexican Clown Troupe earlier this year and I had such fun colouring it in.  The Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated on1st and 2nd November, when families gather to celebrate and remember departed family members.  Traditionally, the 1st is known as the Day of Innocents when babies and children are remembered and the 2nd is the Day of the Dead.  Although it is always very sad to lose a family member, I really like this Mexican tradition to celebrate the living memories of the loved ones that have passed on.  It is a loud, bright and fun festival.  I think it's a wonderful way of allowing children to learn that death is a natural part of life and nothing to be scared of.

I covered the base of the card with beautiful black paper which really allows the brightly coloured image to pop.  I printed the image twice on to white card and coloured them with Copic markers.  I cut out the orange and blue clowns and layered them up to give a bit of dimension.  I finished the front with a simple scroll.  On the inside I cut another piece of design paper for a mat layer and added some roses, a candle and a tiny coffin.

Check out the blog to what the rest of the design team have come up with for the Progressive Challenge.  Part II of the Challenge uses a special digi image that you will get from Rick, but  you have to link up your project for the first part here.  Have fun!

She's a teenager ....

... Hi!  Yesterday was Kathryn's 13th birthday - it only seems like yesterday that she was a tiny baby.  Kathryn's grown into a lovely young woman.  She's a teenager now, but has been acting like one for a little while now :)  Kathryn has very definite likes and dislikes - she's not a "girly" girl.  Kathryn likes very specific bands, she likes zombie stuff and Mexican style painted skulls, she enjoys Manga books and comics, she loves the TV show Pretty Little Liars and she dresses almost exclusively in black!  So I had a bit of a hard time working out what to make for her card.  This is what I made:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Sugar Skulls; Sweet Stamp Shop - Dia De Los Muertos (now discontinued)
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Archival - Jet Black; Distress - Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean, Picked Raspberry
Dies: Lil Inkers - Stitched Squares #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Basic Black; Copic Markers; Luminarte - Radiant Rain Shimmer; Crafters Companion - Spray & Sparkle Multicolour;  Shimmer Sprays - Various

This is a large card (well, I had to make something special) at 8" × 8".  I started by adding spatters of colour to the card base and then sprayed over the top with Radiant Rain, which caused the spatters to bleed - love the effect!  I printed the Sugar Skulls digi on white card and then coloured with Copic markers.  I die cut the image and added some shimmer and sparkle with the Crafter's Companion spray - it really does sparkle!  I layered the finished image on black card.  I stamped the roses and feathers on vellum, coloured the reverse, cut them out and adhered them to the card.  I finished the front with an extra sugar skull and her age.  The numbers are from my stash - no idea who made them!

On the inside I cut a mat layer in black.  I found the logo of Kathryn's favourite band - Black Veil Brides - on the Internet.  I printed it on white card (having made it a bit lighter) and added a birthday verse, written by Susan Tither and found on Craftsuprint.  

Below is a close up of the Sugar Skulls image - I had such a good time colouring it in!  

I decorated the envelope too.  I did another sugar skull and flourish on the front and on the back I added another BVB logo.

We took Kathryn out to dinner last night - we told her she could pick anywhere she wanted.  She picked the Cheesecake Factory!  So still a bit of a kid :)  It was lots of fun!  Before I go, I have to share a photo of the birthday girl - mind these are increasingly difficult to get - Kathryn doesn't like having her photo taken anymore!!!

This one was taken last Saturday when we were in Muskegon.  I was taking a photo of a bicycle rack in front of her and I tried to get one without her noticing!  But I failed - just look at that face!  Love her so much!!