Steampunk Balloon (by Pat)

Hello everyone, our Guest Design Team member Pat is sharing three projects with us this month. Today she has created a Steampunk style card in shades of blue.

Pat writes:

Hi everyone, it's great to be back here again with another three posts this month. I can't believe I am now into my second year and I am thoroughly enjoying being part of the Guest Design Team. If you are anything like me, making a man's card always seems much more difficult, so I decided to address this and start my month with one.

I used Steampunkery for the main image, and Paisley Elephant for the sentiment, Distress Inks, a grey permanent ink, clear gloss embossing powder, silver mica powder, a piece of acrylic and a waterbrush.

I started with the background using three blue inks and laid them on to the piece of acrylic and spritzed with water, then pressed the inky acrylic on to my white card. Using the acrylic allows you to place the colours more specifically, and I didn't want them to be more central leaving the outer edges fairly white. I added more colour, drying in between, until I was happy with the result.

I then stamped the airship using the permanent ink and heat embossed, then coloured it with the waterbrush using two blues and a purple ink. I then mixed some mica powder with a little bit of water and painted the propeller shaft, which in the light is nice and shiny, though unfortunately it never shows up well in a photo.

I finished the background by adding the words in second generation blue ink and also stamped the little parachute keys using the same ink, and coloured with a turquoise blue to tone in with the rest of the card. I stamped a sentiment straight on to the balloon, again using the blue ink, and finally mounted it on to a piece of blue card and added it to a square white base card.

Thank you for joining me today, and I look forward to returning next week with my second post.

Best Wishes,

Pat x