Altered Playing Card

When I got up this morning I decided I wanted to create something just for fun and not for any of my design teams even though I probably should have been working on that - or the weeding and I didn't want to do that either.  Then I decided I wanted to enter the Stamps and Stencils challenge, which is to make something small so I  made an altered playing card.

My In-Laws used to take organized bus trips from their home in Alberta to a casino in Saskatchewan and they were always bringing back decks of cards for themselves and for us.  Usually the cards had a hole drilled through them so when I went into my games cupboard I was surprised to find a deck that was brand new.  I only used one and decided to start with one of the Jokers to make my creation.

I gave each side a coat of Gesso and then glued an old book page to it.  Then I gave it another light coat of Gesso.  Next I used a baby wipe and my finger to add some paint - watered down Craft Smart Robin's Egg Blue and Fresco Finish Hey Pesto, Smoked Paprika and Pumpkin Soup.

Once the paint was dry I worked on one side and added some stenciling with Jet Black and Watering Can Archival Inks through a couple stencils, Polka Dotty from Wendy Vecchi and Mini Chicken Wire Reversed from TCW.

I hand cut a heart out of card stock and used it to draw the heart shape.  Then I painted the heart with Red Oxide paint from Golden and when it was dry I added more polka dot stenciling and an outline with a Prismacolor pencil crayon blended with OMS.

I stamped the eye, which is from a Tim Holtz set called Random Thoughts and made the word ART on my computer and inked it with Antique Linen and Black Soot Distress Ink.  Finally I edged the card with Black Soot DI.

Next I altered the other side because I didn't think it should be left with just paint on it.  This time I used the Watering Can Archival Ink though the chicken wire stencil and a criss cross one I made myself.  I added some circles with Jet Black Archival Ink using the top of a small spray bottle.  I also added some Tim Holtz tissue tape.

Next I took my heart pattern and inked it with some Red Geranium Archival Ink and then heat embossed it with Red Geranium Embossing Powder.  It didn't heat uniformly but I loved the look so I kept it and added some checks with one of the stamps from the Tim Holtz Ultimate Grunge set and Jet Black Archival Ink.  The edge of the heart and the card was inked with Black Soot DI.  Finally I added some computer generated text that was inked with Antique Linen and Black Soot DI.

I had so much fun making this altered playing card and the best thing was that it only took me 3 hours from start to studio clean up, which might be some kind of record for me.  I can see a few things I could have done differently or added so I think the playing cards are staying in my studio.

I am going to enter this project in the following challenges:

Stamps and Stencils  - Small is Beautiful
Tuesday Throwdown - Stenciling
Allsorts Challenge - Use a Stamp
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Mixed Media Monthly  - A Year of Choices (New to You)