the day after FIREWORKS...

It's the day after the Fourth of July and I decided to spend some time surfing blogs and looking for some fun challenges to keep me occupied.  I can't remember when I did a stamping challenge...It's been forever and I'm excited to say I completed one TODAY!!! WOO HOO for me...

I searched the long list of challenges and CASology challenge #51:  Fireworks and Simon Says Stamp:  Patriotic caught my eye.  Maybe it's because it not only challenged me to do CAS (you know me and my restraint issues LOL), but it also challenged me to think differently about the stamps I have in my stash and let me doodle away.  I don't have any fireworks stamps so I searched and searched and finally found something that was *almost..."fireworkey" hee hee.  Doodling the Washington Monument helped me incorporate the "Patriotic Symbol" into the mix...and I don't shy away from a doodle. :)

I pulled out a cheap-old set I've had for years from Cloud 9 Designs called Chocolate Chalet.  This set is full of flowers and pretty graphic ones at that, but I thought some of the images looked "fireworkey"...

I started off with the standard A2 sized Bazzill Yellow cardstock as the base.  I cut a large A2 sized piece of white cardstock to be the stamped section.  Pulling every bright color from my Memento Dew Drop collection, I began the task of shooting fireworks...In doing so, an idea popped into my mind...this is where CAS often gets tricky for me...ideas...ideas...oh I digress..

Since I live near Washington, D.C., I decided to doodle a Washington Monument.  I used Copic T1 to add a bit of shadow and brick detail.  I popped the image up onto the "fireworkey" panel and there it was...OOOOHHHH AHHHHH....

I fiddled around and concluded that I liked that bright yellow card base a lot and wanted it to show up more predominantly in the design so I trimmed the stamped panel and attached it to some teal cardstock then applied it to the card base.  Adding some ribbon and a bit of Stickles (Fireworks need sparkle 'eh?) I finished off the card...or so I thought.  

I trimmed it down a bit because I didn't like how the images were top-heavy on the card.  I added a sentiment and called it DONE!  

Stamps:  Cloud9 Designs Chocolate Chalet

Cardstock:  Bazzill Yellow, Teal, White 

Inks:  Memento Ladybug, Tangelo, Dandelion, Bahama Blue, Rose Bud, Pear Tart, London Fog, Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx

Ribbon:  Red from stash

Black Micron Pen 01

Crystal Stickles