CHALLENGE #1 FOR DRAGONFLIES

Today is the first challenge for the new Challenge blog at 

Crafting with Dragonflies 

The challenge is to create a card with a dragonfly as the main or focal image.

Challenge #1

Card with a Dragonfly Image (stamped or digi, but must have an image as the focus)

Now if you don't have a dragonfly image you are most welcome to use the freebie on the challenge website (here), but you don't have to.
(right click you mouse, click save as choose where on you computer you want to save it, done)

Our very generous sponsors for our very first challenge are:

Eureka Stamps First Prize :
Magnolia Tilda stamp 
5 Digis : Winners choice



 Then there will be 3 runners up
Sassy Studio Designs 4 Digis : Winners choice
 

Crafts and Me : 3 Digi Stamps

Emerald Fairy: 2 Digi Stamps

That should get your creative juices flowing!

I took the digi image Hilde offered us and printed it off onto X-Press blending card. I then carefully outlined all the bits with a Versamark ink pen - yes, they exist and mine is a Zig. I also have an SU one but it's tip is fatter so the lines were thicker and I didn't want them too thick so used the Zig. I did use the SU one when it came to the tail. 

I embossed the image with Malachite embossing powder (Fat Cats has it) and it gives a beautiful green/gold sparkle. I began to colour up the dragonfly by painting the image with my SU Craft White ink.  I did thin this a little with water but you can just paint it on as is. Then WAIT FOR IT TO DRY! A heat gun helps a bit but not too much as you might overcook the embossing. 

I selected my colours to begin colouring the image, and using both the water pen and the blender pen (I think I preferred the water brush), I added colour to the image. I just picked the ink up from the pad directly.

These are the colours I used

Then I just put a card together.  I used the SU sentiment from a new set called Pursuit of Happiness - I love this saying. I stamped the sentiment with Momento Tuxedo Black ink onto a piece of SU Whisper White that had been treated to TH Distress inks - it has a lovely soft shimmer.  I added a small charm to the top after I had die cut the sentiment using Spellbinders Medallion 2 to die cut it out. 

I chose the papers from Prima's Firefly collection 6 x 6 stack (so pretty and soft) and added some ribbon bits, a die cut vine, some flowers (from Bizzy Becs) and the dragonfly.  My card base is SU Wisteria Wonder and the bling is from Annabelle Stamps. 

I will enter this in the following challenges:

Celebrate the Occasion:  Anything Goes

Die Cutting Diva's:  Anything Goes

Paper Nest Dolls: Embossing - the dragonfly is embossed

Southern Girls Challenge:  use a quote (say that again)