Polkadoodles - Under the sea in a Tropical Ocean ...

OMG time ... half way through August already and not 100% sure we can say we've had a summer. Our pear tree in the back garden has  been overflowing with ripe pears since mid July and normally it's early September when we start harvesting them. Ty, my dog, on the other hand has been helping harvest them by 'springing' in to the tree and plucking a pear. he doesn't eat them, just picks them! I suppose he is a Springer Spaniel ... yep, pun was intended 😁

It's inspiration week over at Polkadoodle Challenges and the theme is "Anything Goes" but on the DT we've decided to create summer themed projects to fit the theme.


The 'go to' product for me has to simply be Tropical Oceans and Tropical Underworld clear stamp sets ...

Polkadoodles Tropical Oceans clear stamp set     Polkadoodles Tropical Underworld clear stamp set


I created the background using Nuvo embellishment mouses, layering the colours, adding texture using 2 different stencils (applied with a baby wipe) and finally adding bubbles using another stencil. I wanted my seahorse to be swimming in a warm tropical ocean ...


I stamped and cut out the seahorse colouring him with Nuvo Aqua Flow watercolour pens and then highlighting parts of his body with the Nuvo Glitter Gloss pen. He's been mounted on to the background with 3D foam but first, I shaped the body using a ball tool.


The original plan was to make a textural background and then add my embellishments but sadly I forgot to mask off properly and the background blend out on to the card blank. Cunning plan? Make a circular frame which hides all the mess. The embellishment images have also been strategically placed too ... frame didn't cover everything!


Again I stamped and water coloured the shells and anchor, placing them at the bottom of the frame. I created a banner, stamping the sentiment - which is from Technique Tuesday.


To add height - also help ground the shells and anchor - I used the Cherry Blossom Branch die to create some seaweed. In the photo above, you can also see where I have stamped seaweed on to the background. My final 'finishing touch' was to add some Polkadoodles clear Dew Drops.


Adore, adore, adore the Oceania range of stamps from Nikky Hall and will be sharing a notebook/organiser I made using aforementioned ... just a mammoth photographing task to be completed first!

If you grab yourself a coffee - or another beverage of choice - pop over to the challenge blog and see the fabulous projects my teamies have made too.

Have a great weekend,

Lou
x x x

Products used & links:



I would like to share my card in the following challenges:

CCEE stampers - nautical
Crafting with an attitude - anything goes
Moving along with the times - "B" - blue, bubbles, branch
Southern Girls - add stamping
Craftaholics R Us - Ocean Life
Day Dreamer - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - add a sentiment
Challenge up your life - summer

Comments

Jackie T said…
Hi Lou this is a stunning card I love it. Take care. Hugs Jackie
Angie said…
Stunning card and love your colouring of the seahorse.
Hugs,Angie xx
Unknown said…
Stunning card Lou- the textured background is amazing. Cathy x
Wow, this is utterly fabulous Lou. I love the way you've coloured the seahorse. He looks like New Zealand Paua shell!! Stunning job on all the water colouring and such a beautiful scene you've created, especially your clever disguising of the water colouring bits that didn't stay inside your circle! Utterly inspired, as it looks completely 'meant to be'. Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful creation with us at Southern Girls this week for our 'Use Some Stamping' challenge. I'm so glad you did. Hugs, Wends xoxo SGC DT
ScrappyHorses said…
Such beautiful color and texture! Gorgeous!
Wendy L said…
Gorgeous card, great design, thanks for joining us at MAWTT, xxxx
Janis Lewis said…
Cute! Thanks for sharing at Craftaholics R Us.
~Owner/DT Janis
Anonymous said…
A stunning card and image, loving the seahorse and the beautiful colours. Thank you for joining us at DDC this month!

Nicola DT

Day Dreamer Challenges
Making Memories Crafting

Bev said…
ooo I love all the texture/dimension. You make it all look so easy Lou!
Janis Lewis said…
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing at Moving Along with the Times.
~DT Janis
kahaulani said…
beautiful card!!!! thank you for joining our challenge over at Craftaholics R us
sweetpea said…
Lovely card design. Thanks for sharing it with us at Crafting with an Attitude Janet DT
Diane Louise J said…
Hello… Thanks for sharing your lovely underwater card with Moving Along with the Times Challenge Blog; it fits perfectly with our ‘Things beginning with B’ challenge theme. Hope you can join us again very soon.
Diane Louise (DT member) xx
BożenA said…
WOW! What a stunning coloring! Great card Very beautiful and very special!
Thank you for sharing with us on Crafting With An Attitude.
hugs,
BożenA DT CWAA
Dotstolines said…
Wow! This is a stunning card! Beautiful! Thank you for playing along with us at Day Dreamer Challenges:)! Good Luck!- Sunila & Aditi