I do like a good challenge. When I popped over to The Paper Players this week, I saw that they had a theme going on and that theme was Western! At first, I dismissed the idea of playing along because I have no western stamps at all. But I can't turn down a challenge. So I decided to dare myself to make a western card without any specifically western stamps!
As I looked through stamps, paper and DSP, I thought about what makes something a western design. Of course it helps if you have images of saddles, horses or cows, cowboy boots or hats, but barring those, I thought that wood grain would definitely give a western feel if embellished properly. So I got out the Hardwood Background Stamp and I noticed something on Choose Happiness that I'd never really seen before - it has wooden pennants! I also remembered an early Paper Pumpkin kit that had the sentiment, "Wahoo!" in it, and I thought that some thick Baker's Twine in Calypso Coral might just work.
With the sketch challenge from Global Design Project this week to fashion the layout of my card, I was ready to go.
- Definitely a more feminine western design with the Calypso Coral for contrast and the little peek of Venetian Crochet Trim under the Burlap Ribbon. Does it look western to you?
- I suppose a Yeehaw would have been a bit more 'cowboy' but the rustic look of the Wahoo fit right in with the theme. The congratulations from Guy Greetings not only went well with the Wahoo! sentiment, but the font was compatible with the theme, I thought. I added a little design under it with a border from the Tin of Cards stamp set and mounted it on the Burlap Ribbon.
- I know rope isn't coral coloured but the Calypso Coral Thick Baker's Twine used as a border on the top panel and coiled for a rope definitely added to the theme. I added the twine with little drops of Liquid Multipurpose Glue along the borders and squished a glue dot together to anchor the little dipsy-doodles on the corners. Glue dots also attached the coil of Thick Baker's Twine.
So I think I successfully met the challenge I gave myself. What do you think?
Click on the links below to take you to my On-Line Store, where you can read about, look at, and purchase if you wish, the products used to make this card today.
