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Monday 29 June 2020

Manatee-rific under the sea

Hello crafting friends!

Just as I thought there'd be no card today, I suddenly had an idea! I'd been rummaging around in the stamp box and found the cutest set by Lawn Fawn called Manatee-rific. I was lucky enough to win it at Di's Snippet Playground last year but hadn't yet used it because I wasn't sure that any of my family knew what a manatee was! So I did a little research today and, would you believe, EVERYONE knows what a manatee is except me!!


I started off with a slightly coated card base and blended some purples and blues to create an underwater scene with a yellow strip at the bottom to represent sand. By drawing the ink into the centre from the top and sides I was able to leave a white area which I thought would look as if a shaft of light were shining into the scene.


I found that my Thistle stencil from Funky Fossil made effective seaweedy stuff! I used a nice bright green to ink into that. I had to leave everything to dry for a while because the semi-coated card stock keeps the ink wet for a little longer than an uncoated one would.


I added my sentiment next using Stazon black ink and a stamping platform to position everything. The 'happy birthday' bit comes from Birthday Greetings by Altenew while, unsurprisingly, the punning 'have a manatee-rific day' is from the Manatee-rific set.


Finally, I stamped the cute little manatees and coloured them with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers before cutting them out with the matching dies and popping them up on dimensionals. The card was finished with a sprinkling of sequins (I added these to my last SU order and I am in love with them - they come in a pot full of a variety of colours and sizes and are perfect!)

CHALLENGES
I was inspired by Stamping Sensations to use bright colours for this card and I'm also linking up with Allsorts, where this week's theme is Cute, and The Sisterhood of Crafters, where they want to see Stenciling. The Male Room's theme is Die Cuts so I'm joining in there too. I'm also going to share this card at the NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff) Challenge (third time this month - and to think I truly believed I didn't actually HAVE much NBUS!!)


AND IN OTHER NEWS
Let's have a big round of applause for my floofy girl today!


Here she is, doing a very tense sit-stay because she's about to get a morsel of liver paté. Why? Because she returned from a long walk this morning CLEAN AND DRY!!! While she was licking her paté up, I explained at great length that humans LOVE a clean and wholesome dog and often give them delicious treats. She ignored me and sniffed about to see if there was any more of that nice liver stuff - this is the canine equivalent of saying "Yeah, yeah, whatevs!)

Hope your week has started off as well as ours.

Hugs,

34 comments:

  1. You keep sharing the floofy girl (please don't stop), Vicky, but then I totally forget what card you made, lol! (Short attention span, maybe?!) They really are like teenagers, aren't they, in which words they choose to understand?!

    Your manatwins are just adorable and your bold and bright undersea world is gorgeous! I love the shaft of light you achieved and how you found a stencil that would work for seaweed. Clever girl! Keep well and thank you for sharing again with everyone at NBUS! I can just see your face as you keep realizing the things that haven't been used and I'm delighted that the challenge encourages you to use them. Hugs, Darnell

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    1. Lol, I feel the same about Nellie! They're just so adorable aren't they - and I swear they have a bigger vocabulary than they let on!
      I'm so glad you re-started the NBUS challenge. It is doing a wonderful job! x

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  2. Fabulous background and what a super cute design.

    Hugs Diane

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    1. Thanks Diane! This is a tiny bit like your designs in that it looks like it's illustrating a story. I thought the little manatees are probably giggling and the sequins are the bubbles that have resulted lol!

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  3. Clean and dry is good because there's an awful lot of hair there when she gets wet - how do I know!

    Perfect inky blending on your card today Kate and those little fellows are such fun, perfect for our Allsorts 'So Cute' theme and my thanks also for sharing with us and joining in with our 'Colourful' theme at Stamping Sensations chalenge.

    B x

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    1. She gets wet most days Brenda because she was bred to dive in and out of the steams of Scotland and I feel it's natural behaviour for her. I'm a dab hand at rubbing her down with a towel though and I just sling washable throws on the sofa if she wants to lie there. She is a spoilt princess isn't she! x

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  4. Aww . . . gorgeous photo of Eva on best behaviour!

    And . . . cute Manatee card with your creative background. Super!

    Hug x

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    1. Every sinew tensed to be a Good Girl! She'll do practically ANYTHING for liver paté!! xxx

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  5. So sweet and I really like the background. Thank you for joining us in our 'Make It Colourful' challenge at Stamping Sensations and good luck. Sandra x

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    1. Thanks Sandra - loved your colourful challenge to cheer us all up! x

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  6. So very sweet. Lovely doggy too! Thanks for joining in with my challenge for So Cute at Allsorts.

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    1. All kinds of cute! Thanks for the fun challenge Lynne.

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  7. OH! Vicky this is is just a fabulous card, a fabulous background and a perfect scene for these strange creatures. I know of them, I saw them while visiting Florida. Their bigger than I thought too.
    As for Eve, she's a clever girl to get a treat like that, then she can go back to her usual ways tomorrow?
    Take care
    Faith x

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    1. I bet Florida seems like a lifetime ago Faith! They must be big as they're nicknamed sea cows I'm told. Haha about Eva, you've certainly read her well! x

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  8. A really super creation, super cute images and a fabulous background.

    Kath x

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  9. She's a beauty & with all that hair I understand the cheering for clean & dry--haha! Adorable card & love how you made the sea with the light & seaweed & sand!

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    1. It doesn't happen very often that she stays dry... but she loves being groomed bless her :)

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  10. WOW what a fabulous scene you have created! GREAT JOB! Thanks so much for joining in the fun at our Sisterhood of Crafters challenge! Good Luck and we hope you’ll come back often.

    Darlene
    SISTERHOOD OF CRAFTERS
    DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS
    Please stop in for a visit!

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  11. Indeed a very cute project, thank you for sharing with us at Allsorts this week.

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    1. Thank you! I don't have many cute stamps but I did think the faces on these manatees were pretty cute!

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  12. Super gorgeous design, love your displayed technique. Many thanks for joining us in our current challenge of

    STENCILS at The Sisterhood Of Crafters Challenge..good luck with your lovely entry.[aNNie design team member for The Sisterhood of Crafters Challenges

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  13. Gorgeous creation, thanks for joining Allsorts challenge, good luck.
    Happy crafting
    Tracy x

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  14. Such a sweet card, love the critters and your background looks great. Thank you for joining us in our Use Die Cuts -challenge at The Male Room. Looking forward to seeing you again in our next challenge that starts tomorrow.

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    1. Thank you Sari. Looking forward to checking out the new challenge!

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  15. Really cute birthday card! You've made a great little scene. And your dog sure is a cutie too! Thank you for joining us at The Male Room - Charlotte/Lady Joyful, DT

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    1. Thanks Charlotte. My lovely Eva is definitely a cutie :)

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  16. I love the underwater background you created on this card Vicky; the lighter space in the centre highlights your manatees beautifully. I love manatees - they are so huge, yet graceful at the same time and cute in a rather ugly way!

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    1. Thanks Joanne. Pleased you noticed the highlighted section. I am a beginner when it comes to appreciating manatees!

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  17. Lol to Darnell's comment about how distracting lovely Eva is! That is a beautiful sit and she does look extra floofy here!
    I love the beautiful ocean your created for your manatees. They really are very cool creatures.

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    1. Lol, I know, it's 'enough with the card distractions, let's take a look at that floofer!'
      I am fascinated that everyone knows about manatees!!!

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I'd love to know what you think. Do leave me a comment - it always makes my day! Vicky x


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