Card contest winner

Yesterday I had a great time at a local rubber stamp show; I watched demos, did a few make-and-take projects, spent plenty of money ... and won a card contest! This is the second time I've won the card contest at this particular stamp show (the first time was in 2012), and first prize is $100 to spend at any of the vendors at the show. Yippee!

I have to confess that both of the cards I made for the contest were a challenge. The theme for the contest on Saturday was "Hobo Joe" (Sunday's theme was "Masquerade"), and my first thought was "What?! How do I make a card about hobos?" I don't have any hobo-themed stamps, so I had no idea what I was going to do. The only thing I could think of was the kerchief pack tied on a stick (which I learned is called a bindle), but beyond that I was stuck. After a few Google image searches to get some ideas, I focused on the idea of riding the rails for my first card:

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Wonderful Weaves, Hardwood, Love You S'More (Lawn Fawn), word stamp kit (Magnetic Poetry)
Paper: Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Soft Suede, Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi card stock; Newsprint Designer Series Paper (DSP)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Linen thread, Dimensionals, Mono Multi liquid glue

As I was looking over a sheet of Newsprint DSP, I discovered a few sections that looked like train schedules. I decided to cut out those sections, distress them a bit (by lightly rubbing them with Crumb Cake ink and curling up the corners) and create a scene that looked like the schedules were posted on a fence. To make the fence I stamped the Hardwood stamp on Soft Suede card stock using Chocolate Chip ink. I cut a little notch at each vertical line in the image to create the look of the separate boards in a fence. I adhered the fence to a Marina Mist card base and then added the pieces of DSP.

To make the bindle, I stamped an image from the Wonderful Weaves set on Whisper White card stock using Real Red ink. On the back of the image, I sketched an outline for the shape I wanted and cut it out. I used Chocolate Chip ink to add shadows and give the pouch some dimension, and then I tied a piece of linen thread around the top. I stamped and cut out the image of a stick (from the Lawn Fawn set Love You S'More) and glued it to the back of the pouch. I used Dimensionals to adhere the bindle to the card.

To finish the card, I added a few patches of grass (cut free-hand from Wild Wasabi card stock) and the words for the sentiment. I was pleased with how this card turned out, and I guess other people liked it, too, because this was the one that won the contest.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: World Map, Rough Edges Alphabet, Wanted
Paper: Bordering Blue, Real Red, Crumb Cake
Ink: Soft Suede, Bordering Blue, StazOn Cotton White
Accessories: Woodgrain and Square Lattice embossing folders, linen thread, medium metallic brads (Making Memories), corner rounder, sponge, Dimensionals

I decided to make the bindle the focal point for the second card, so I made it larger this time. I stamped a paisley pattern in white on Real Red card stock (I wish the white looked bolder) then embossed the card stock to create a textured, fabric look. I cut out the shape of the pouch and used Soft Suede ink to distress it. To make the stick, I drew the shape on a piece of Crumb Cake card stock, cut it out, embossed it with the Woodgrain embossing folder and sponged it with Soft Sued ink.

For the background of the card, I stamped the World Map stamp on Bordering Blue card stock using Bordering Blue ink. I rounded the bottom corners of the card, sponged Soft Suede ink around the edges and used Dimensionals to adhere the bindle to the card. I used a mini alphabet set to create my own sentiment and added a metallic brad in the upper right corner.

So, are you wondering what I bought with my winnings? Well, I had thought about it ahead of time and decided I really wanted to try the watercolor stamping technique by Art Impressions, so that's what I did. I was able to buy a starter kit, a bunch of markers, and four stamp sets, and I only spent a little of my own money after my prize winnings. I'm so excited to try out my new goodies!

Thanks for stopping by!