"catchy" cards

Hi everyone, today I am sharing a couple of handmade cards featuring a fun fishing set from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. These cards are fairly simple to make and would be perfect for anyone that loves to fish or even someone embarking on their retirement.

The Best Fishes Set (coming soon from GSLC) contains a sentiment, an image of a fisherman with reel and fish, as well as a boat with a pair of oars. These pieces can be used together or separately. I chose to split them up to make multiple cards. Be sure to use care when removing the laser cut pieces as they are somewhat fragile.

For my first card, I use the fisherman and sentiment pieces. I envision a scene at dusk where the figure would be in silhouette form against an evening sky. To achieve this look I emboss the piece with oil rubbed bronze embossing powder. I love the bronze highlights that give the silhouette even more character than a simple shadow. The sentiment is embossed with oil rubbed bronze as well.  I use a green patina embossing powder for the catch at the end of the fishing line. 

Once the embossing is complete I set it aside and work on the sky. Using distress oxide ink, I create a background in grey and blues. I add tiny flecks of white paint to mimic the flickering stars and also a splatter of shimmer. I cut a deckle edge on a strip of grey paper for the waters edge and add a bit of ink to help it stand out from the sky, then arrange the pieces and adhere them in place with a multipurpose adhesive. I will be using this as a birthday card for a favorite fisherman of mine so I die cut and emboss a Happy Birthday sentiment and add it to the top of the card. This entire piece is layered over a silver piece of cardstock and attached to the easel portion of the card. I went with an easel card format to play up the rising aspect. As the card is set into its propped position, it reveals a fish patterned paper and the Best Fishes sentiment from the set.

 My second card uses the boat and oars pieces from the best fishes set as well as a sentiment from the Words & Phrases 1 set from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. This set contains 15 different pieces and can be used in so many different ways. As you can see, I have used a number of these pieces on previous projects.

I want this card to have a rustic, "at the lake" feel and the flexibility to be used for many purposes. I plan to use the same fish pattern paper as a background, so I mix up some acrylic paint for the boat in a color that coordinates.  

The oars and Enjoy the Moment sentiment are both painted to look like wood. When all of the pain has dried all of the pieces are layered onto a square card base and adhered with a multipurpose adhesive. I really like the look of this card and can't wait to have a reason to send it to someone.

Each of these cards was fairly simple to put together. There are many tutorials for creating easel cards on Pintrest if you have never made one before. One of the positives for these types of cards is that they are freestanding and easy to display.

I hope you are able to find some time during these busy days to get creative,
I find it's the best way to relax and find peace of mind.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to stop by.
~Ann


 List of products used:
Emerald Creek Craft Supplies - oil rubbed bronze embossing powder
Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts - Best Fishes Set (coming soon), Words & Phrases 1
Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink - faded jeans, hickory smoke, broken china, antique linen
Sizzix/Tim Holtz Alterations - celebration words: script
The Paper Studio papers - texture: slate blue, small fish on blue
Tim Holtz Ideaology - Distress cardstock




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