Electrical Storm

This is my hubby's birthday card for 2015 and it was inspired by a design by Sheena Douglass, and uses her stamps.  I also used some stamps from Crafters Companions Textures range and one of their embossing folders, plus a few embellishments. It was a chance to play with my new Aqua Tints 'Beautifully Grunge' set too!  As soon as I got these stamps I wanted to create something with a 'Frankenstein' steampunk vibe, combining the Castle Ruins and High Voltage sets.  I used an 8"x 8" plain white card as the base.   I painted the edges of the card in purple, then used an embossing folder to create texture.  I added some gold gilding wax to highlight the embossed pattern and give a distressed look.  The focal panel is a piece of white stamping card cut to size.  I stamped the ruins in black Versafine, and then masked the images with drawing gum.  I painted the panel using several bright colours from the set of Aqua Tints, painting straight over the stamped images.  I stamped a corner collage image in two corners of the panel in black ink, and some Gothic style script.  I used a stencil by Sheena to create storm clouds in the sky above the ruins by faux bleaching through the stencil.  I added highlights with Lumiere pearl paint, then stamped lightening streaks in white acrylic paint.  I rubbed the drawing gum off the ruins and painted them, then highlighted them with pearl paint. The panel was then matted onto black card and layered onto the base card.  Taking another piece of white stamping card I stamped a dial image in black and heat embossed it with black powder.  I also stamped and embossed the sentiment in the same way.  I painted over the stamped images, cut out the dial with scissors and the sentiment with a label die.  I stamped two more images onto acetate in black ink and heat embossed them with black powder.  Next I turned the images over and painted them on the reverse with Lumiere pearlescent paint in copper and silver.  When dry I overpainted them with white gesso to make the colours pop.  I then cut the images out, and attached all the embellishments with dimensional glue.  I used a mini vintage lightbulb to mirror the stamped one.  I really enjoyed making this card, it turned out exactly as I envisaged the design in my head.  This design is bright, cheerful and fun!  I think it could be a good 'worker' card, suitable for lots of occasions, any age any gender.