Red, White and Blue Dangling Sea Edwin with Shaving Brush Clouds

Well, I have finally had a go at the shaving brush clouds with the Distress Inks and I have to say I love the technique. A couple of tips I will give however are add a little ink at a time and dab your brush on some scrap paper before applying to your project to check you don't have too much ink on the brush..

Firstly, the Dangling Sea Edwin image, from Magnolia, was stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black dye ink and coloured with Copic markers:

• Hair: YR00, YR14, YR24, E35
• Skin: E00, E13, E21, E51
• Hat: R20, R24, R27, R29, B00, 0
• Matelot Jacket: B23, B24, B00, 0
• Shorts/Tie: B21, B23, B24, B26
• Buttons: B24
• Socks: B00, C0
• Shoes: R20, R24, R27, R29. B26

The anchor in the image was highlighted with a clear Sakura Stardust pen, and highlights were added to Edwin's cheeks with a Papermania Snow White gel pen. Tthe image was then cut out.

A circle was cut from white card using a circle Nestabilities die and clouds were created using Tim Holtz Faded Jeans Distress Ink, a hand-cut mask cut from a Post-It note and a shaving brush. Basically, the brush with very little ink, was swirled over the edge of the mask, pinching the bristles of the brush together, focusing them on a smaller area.

A frame was also die cut from white card using two circle Nestabilities dies positioned on a piece of magnetic paper. The shape was then embossed and lightly coloured with Tim Holtz Weathered Wood Distress Ink. The edges of the circle were then coloured with a Copic marker (R29) to make them stand out more and small gold Papermania eyelets were set around the circle to create a porthole.

The cloud background, Edwin image and porthole were then all layered up.

A strip of the Wide Tie paper from the Basic Grey Boxer paper pad was matted onto a strip of navy
shimmer card and matted across a panel of the Oxford paper from the same paper pad. This was then also matted onto the navy shimmer card.

A red and blue button (items I've had in my stash for a very long time now!) were threaded with white embroidery thread and a white button with blue thread and positioned in the top right hand corner.

The 'Happy Birthday' sentiment, from the Personal Impressions Paula Pascual Mixed Sentiments stamp set, was stamped onto a die cut circle of the white card using Versafine Majestic Blue archival pigment ink and matted onto a circle of the navy shimmer card.

Here are the challenges I am entering this card into:

• Amber's Crafts and Stuff - #16 - Red, White and Blue
• Cooking It Up With Katie - #68 - Colours Of Your Flag/Something Your Country Is Known For (Red, White & Blue/Maritime History)
• Crafting For All Seasons - #4 - Red,White and Blue
• Crafts and Me - #41 - Birthdays
• Digistamps4Joy - #22 - Red, White and Blue
• Divas by Design - #5 - Die Cuts/Punches
• Freshly Brewed - #53 - Birthday or Party
• Little Red Wagon - #87 - Patriotic
• My Mum's Craft Shop - #12 - Something Old, Something New (Old: Buttons, New:Stamps)
• The Paper Shelter - #20 - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper-Crafty - #56 - Red, White and Blue
• Sisterhood Of Crafters - Masculine Themed Birthday or Anniversary
• Celebrate The Occasion - #20 - Red, White and Blue
• Craft-Room Challenge - Summer Birthdays
• Tuesday Throwdown - #55 - Red, White and Blue
• Use It Tuesday - #10 - Red, White and Blue (Old Stash: Buttons)
• Craft Your Passion - #64 - Seeing Red
• Die Cut Dreams - #92 - Red, White and Blue
• Incy Wincy - Summertime Blues
• Kaboodle Doodles - #73 - Going In Circles
• Make It Monday - #43 - Anything Goes
• Pollycraft - #99 - Water Themed
• Scrapbookaholic - #8 - Red, White and Blue
• Squigglefly - #104 - Red, White and Blue
• Stamping Scrapping Central - Red, White and Blue
• There She Goes - #113 - Die Cuts
• Woodware USA - #33 - Patriotic Theme or Colours
• Card Cupids - Cards For Boys
• Corrosive Challenge - #122 - Slippery When Wet
• The Crafty Pad - #127 - Bold and Bright
• Kenny K's Krafty Girlz - #51 - Red, White and Blue
• Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Buttons
• Pile It On - #26 - Going Round In Circles
• Scrappy Frogs - Simply Red
• Sentimental Sundays - #61 - Patriotic/Colours Of Your Flag
• Cupcake Inspirations - #117 - Red, White and Blue
• Colour Me Creative Copic's Challenge - Ruffles/Creases
• Designed To Delight - Red, White and Blue and/or Christmas Too
• Sweet Stampin' - Something Old, Something New (Old: Buttons, New: Stamps)
• Card Makin' Mamas - #23 - Red, White and Blue
• Digi's With Attitude - #32 - Anything Goes
• Off The Wall Craftiness - #56 - Red, White and Blue
• Phindy's Place - #61 - Going Round In Circles
• The Poodles Parlour - Come Fly With Me
• Stamp Something - Something Red, White and Blue
• AiFactory - Embellish It (Buttons)
• Color Lab - #47 - Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy
• Craft Us Crazy - #11 - Red, White and Blue/Summer
• Delightful Challenges - Red, White and Blue
• Just For Fun - Anything Goes
• Pals Paper Arts - #100 - What's Your Technique (Copic Colouring)
• PaperCrafting Journey - #13 - Anything Goes
• Pixie Dust Studio - #81 - Be Proud/Red, White and Blue
• Rainbow Lady - #159 - Patriotic/Red, White and Blue
• The Rubber Cafe - Birthday