Lawnscaping Challenge #132 Distress Maniacs & Simon Says Add Some Shimmer | Mama Elephant Shooti

Okay, I finally have recorded a video while creating a card from start TO finish. Every. Little. Element. I'm pretty excited about this card as I used some new stamp sets, new inks, new techniques, new dies, AND new interactive elements!

When I saw that this week's Lawnscaping Challenge topic was distressing, I KNEW right away I wanted to do a galaxy background. Other people have done them, but I've never even attempted it as far as I can remember. Plus, I have been collecting a bunch of space-themed stamps, so it was time to put them to use!

In order to do my galaxy background, I stopped by Michaels after work to get the 3rd distress ink pack from Ranger as it included Black Soot, which I didn't have and was pretty necessary for the technique I was going to use to create my galaxy. By the time I got home, I really didn't even feel like making a card. I know, what's wrong with me?! Anyway, I decided to just sit and cut down some Ranger Watercolor paper, and by the time I finished that, I was ready to get to work :)

I pulled my distress inks out and gathered the colors I wanted to use for my galaxy: Black Soot, Blueprint Sketch, Seedless Preserves, and Mustard Seed. Using my ink blending tools, I blended the inks onto watercolor paper beginning with the lightest colors to the darkest colors. I finished off my background by splashing some water, flicking white acrylic paint using a toothbrush, and spraying Frost glimmer mist.

Once I was finished with my background, I began going through my space-themed stamps and pulled 2 Mama Elephant sets: Space Bears and Shooting Star. I knew I definitely wanted to include a space bear as I hadn't used that set yet. Then what caught my eye from the Shooting Star set was the actual shooting star stamp! That's when ideas flooded my head.

I remembered my Slide on Over dies from Lawn Fawn that I had yet to use... and putting two-and-two together, I decided I would make an interactive card with a SHOOTING star!! I have yet to see anyone do that, so I was stoked that the idea came to me. Of course, to add to the scene, I would have a floating space bear in my galaxy admiring the shooting star ;) I then decided to use the sentiment "The darkest nights produce the brightest stars," which is great for an encouragement card.

Considering this card has LOTS of shimmer (really visible in video below), I am also entering this card into Simon Says Add Some Shimmer :)