Clean-and-Simple Giraffe Sunset PP295

It's another week at The Paper Players and LeAnne has a fun Clean-and-Simple challenge for us...it's WILD!

Some of you might know that I design the challenge badges, like the one above, for The Paper Players.  Sometimes, I get hung up on an idea, like the giraffes, and can't let go! They are one of my favorite animals too so...while the challenge is to use any animal on a CAS card, I wanted to explore the giraffe silhouette idea.

This is a design file I purchased for my Cameo to use as party decorations for our daughter's school production of The Lion King Kids.  Those decorations will probably be another blog post at some point [wink] but for now, I thought they were perfect for LeAnne's challenge!

I used watercolor paper and my Aqua Painter to brush on yellows and oranges, specifically Hello Honey, Crushed Curry and Tangelo Twist.  If you look verrrry closely you might be able to see some Wink of Stella brushed on as well.  It needed just a touch of sparkle because...well...African sunsets are magical!

The bottom was brushed with repeating layers of Mossy Meadow--I'm really gonna miss that color when it retires!  I started with a very thin layer and let it dry before adding another layer of color.  I found that gives it a lined look that creates more dimension.  Now, before you think I'm extremely patient and let each layer dry on it's own....here's a tip....a heat gun [set to low if you have that setting] makes quick work of drying your watercolor!!  Woohoo, let's hear it for impatient!

The silhouette was longer than I needed so the end piece works really well on the inside.  Since I wasn't using watercolor paper on the inside, I used some random watercolor type stamps to duplicate a mini sunset here.  I think they came from Work of Art and Sheltering Tree.  I found this sentiment in a retired stamp set and it is absolutely perfect for the recipients of this card.  My in-laws have been married for [almost] 53 years and were high school sweethearts before that!  They are truly happy together.  They are also avid travelers and, for their 50th wedding anniversary, took the entire family on safari in Tanzania!  What a wonderful trip it was so this card, I think, will be extra special to them.

In fact...here are a few pix of the animal-of-the day from that trip:

 

 And one of those magical African sunsets....this one while in South Africa:

Thanks for stopping by today, friends!  Be sure to hope over to The Paper Players and check out the rest of the fabulous inspiration from our Design Team and then link up your creation before the challenge closes on Friday, May 20th at Noon (PST).

The Paper Players Design Team

Claire Broadwater

Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Linda Callahan

Hannelie Bester

Colleen Begley