Right Here with You

I was very moved by this recent wordart freebie at Create with TLC: "You're not alone; I'm right here with you." So when I needed a sentiment for my card for this week's Midnight Madness Sketch I had the perfect one. Just by chance I'd chosen another lovely TLC Creations freebie as the digi stamp.

In case you're not aware, the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge blog is maintained by the same team that does the Crafters' Digital Art Center (CDAC). Coincidentally, the image I used for this card was given as a freebie in celebration of CDAC's reaching 240 members by TLC Creations, who I first learned of through CDAC.

I love using these woodcut-like images to practice with my copic markers, as the shading decisions have pretty much been made for me. I'm learning, slowly but surely. I'm still nervous about backgrounds, so I cheated a bit and added a blue-tint gradient to the image in InDesign before printing it. It's not very apparent (especially since I shadowed everything with a light Copic marker), but does make a difference.

I wasn't sure about using actual buttons as suggested in the sketch, until I saw this that this week's Delightful Challenge is Buttons. Challenge delightfully accepted! Sewing on the buttons didn't take too long and I love the look, so I will try this again (when I can find the bag of craft buttons that's somewhere in this house.) I shaded the horizontal strips with red ink and then "aged" the frame elements with an emery board and distress inks, which was more work than one would think...I need to find a better sanding method. I added some berry bling with glitter glue around the button brad.

While I was making this card, it started to snow. Such a peaceful scene, inside and out! Digi stamp: Picking Berries Vintage by TLC Creations
Wordart: You're Not Alone by TLC Creations

Inspiration:
Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #85
Delightful Challenge: Buttons

Supplies: Recollections & Core'dinations cardstocks, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, Fiskars papercutter and scalloped scissors, ZipDry glue, Tim Holtz scissors & Distress ink (Fired Brick, Antique Linen & Mustard Seed), Stickles (Xmas Red, Cinnamon & Candy Cane), Metallic red Sakura Gelly Roll pen, emery board, button brad from Oriental Trading Co., Michaels variegated craft cord & needle, Copic Ciao B color set