Whimsy Stamps ~ Mermaid Escape

Hey there crafty pals. I'm back with that promised mermaid card using the 'scraps' from the first card I made with the Mermaid Escape Clear Stamp Set. I kept the 'waste' from the Slimline Bubbles Die Set from the two passes I did, first with the ink blended panel I made with the distress oxide inks, including the new Uncharted Mariner, then with the iridescent silver cardstock. This formed the central theme of this new card. 

I used the ink blended panels, which I had added some stenciling to in a toning ink to have the little schools of fish in the background, but I wanted to have some bubble like sparkle on the other circles, so pieced the iridescent cardstock into the other empty bubbles and the areas that the bubbles overlap. In the light, the iridescent cardstock shimmers and shines in lots of different shades, it's quite beautiful and really does give that 'rainbow slick' look that real soap bubbles do. The photo below shows this, which was taken in a different light to the one above.

The background card base was made using the same cardstock as I used on the previous card, called Bazzill Basics Mysterious Teal in a Canvas Texture. If you missed the previous mermaid card I'm referencing, you can view it here. I used the little companion stamps from the mermaid set to create a bit of interest in the background. I stamped them in Versamark Ink and then heat embossed them in clear embossing powder. I created a banner tag from another piece of the same cardstock and white heat embossed the sentiment from the mermaid stamp set. 

For this creation, I've used the other mermaid from the set, happily reading her book, which appeals to me very much as I've always been a big advocate of reading with my kiddos. So I love this image of this cutie lost in her book. I went for different colours on this mermaid too. I opted for warm orange tones on her tail and a deep rich Auburn combo for her hair. I used my Copic Markers to colour her and wish I was better at keeping a note of the colours, because I love how her hair came out. I know I used E19 and E08, but cannot remember what else I used, I'm kind of a 'wing it as I go' colourist!

The iridescent fish I used on this design came from another Whimsy Clear Stamp Set called Fish Fancy. I used the same iridescent cardstock to stamp these fish on, so they would be shiny and shift in colour. I used Versafine Onyx Black Ink to stamp them and then heat embossed them with clear embossing powder so that the black would stay put as it can wipe off shiny cardstock sometimes. I could have used StazOn Ink for this and not embossed, but I liked the idea of the shiny finish from the embossing powder. They've not photographed well, but are shiny and lovely in reality. The last little detail on this card is the wee anchor, which I stamped with Versamark Ink and then embossed with Verdigris Embossing Powder for a rustic old anchor kind of finish.

I wish you a beautiful week and if you've not yet seen the latest release at Whimsy Stamps, you can click through on the banner above. We have had three mini releases this month and they're all now in store. I'll be back with one final share before this month ends and then we'll be into August! Gosh I need to get cracking with some Christmas makes, this year is whizzing by! See you again soon. Hugs and happy crafting xoxo