Here is my SMT post...Just for you, Cheryl.
Thanks again for helping me out with your FABULOUS talents!!!
"...And Now...The Rest of the Story" (Do you know that reference??)
________________________________________________
I have
two very cool big brothers. My oldest brother celebrated a milestone birthday a few weeks ago... 50 years of his awesome-ness on the earth. :)
I started the process of making this card a month before the actual date. However, life interrupted and now this card is a month belated. YIKES!!
Here are the details for it's l-o-n-g creation process. (Please ignore the poor grammar, sentence fragments, etc. This is more of a "list" than a well-crafted piece of writing).
1. The genesis of this creation: My brother owns a comic book store. This just about solidifies his status as "coolest uncle ever" in the eyes of his nephews...and also his nieces. :)
*I wanted to create a personalized card for this momentous birthday that reflected him.
2. Emailed dear friend and awesome artist
(Sassy Cheryl) pleading/asking/begging her to create a custom digital stamp for me. WooHOO...she created this FABULOUS image that totally reminded me of DB as a kid...He always had a ton of hair. :)
Note: I did not give her any other details other than "a kid reading a bunch of comic books".
**You can purchase a similar digital stamp from Cheryl's store here (boy version) or here (girl version).
*
** I've realized that I did not set a realistic deadline for this card...I take a long time to match the actual "creation" with the "vision/plan" in my head. So I didn't give myself enough time to work her awesome stamp into a cohesive card design before his birthday.
3. Found a Sketch I liked
(Mojo Monday sketch #330).
Hem and haw over the paper choices....Finally settled on a bunch of
jillibean Soup papers that have been in my stash for over a year now
(Minestrone:Thin Zucchini, Homemade 6 bean:Red Beans, and Winter Tortellini:Fresh Basil collections).
I missed the challenge deadline for this sketch. Oh well.
4. While looking for the perfect word-art...I discovered
one in my files from
Paulette at Create With TLC that sparked a few new ideas. I got distracted with ideas for another birthday project. (see below).
I think this word-art is both clever and hilarious since our family is very competitive with board games!!
Waited 2-3 weeks before actually creating the printed transfer and adding it to a shirt.
5. Finally decided to create my own word-art that reflects both the event and the digital image. (Another 3-5 days of "brainstorming"). I designed the word-art in my Silhouette Design Studio software. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.
---PAUSE a week because I volunteered for a few school projects.
AND...I had library books from the "hold shelf" that were begging to be read. :) They all turned out fantastically.
6. Printed several copies of the digital stamp to try and color.
*Good way to pass time in a doctor's office waiting room (nope, I was not the patient, just the patient's driver). I ended up with about 5 "rejected" versions...LOL. Loving the final results.
(I colored the stamp with Copic markers as base colors and added pencils for detailed/shading parts)
---
PAUSE a few more days while I was sick with the nastiest
virus I can remember in many years...Quality time with ginger ale and
soda crackers...FUN- FUN- FUN
7. Put the card together...noticed it is crooked...Gently tore it apart, reglued, and repositioned.
8. Took a bazillion photos...lighting is yucky because it's winter in the Pacific NW...even with ott-lites, etc. Used the photo anyways because it really needs to get in the mail.
****Now seriously, wasn't that the most ridiculously long, tangented route to a finished birthday card.
I hope my Bro likes the card and shirt. He's a wonderful person and I'm so glad to have him in our family!!! Love Ya T_______!
