Everything Old Is New Again! Dirty Dozen/Dirty Dozen Alumni Monthly Challenge

Each month all the Dirty Dozen Design Team and Alumni team members come together to participate in a challenge.  Jami comes up with a challenge each month and posts it far enough in advance that everyone has the opportunity to fit the challenge into their schedule and to obtain necessary images, etc. Our theme this month is to dust off a beloved set or image that we have had for a long time but haven’t used for quite a while. If you would like to see the complete gallery for this challenge click on this link.

Challenge Rules:

Everything Old is New Again!

We all tend to get so caught up in the latest and greatest stamps, papers, embellishments, etc that we can get into a shopping (and hoarding) frenzy! This challenge will not require you to buy anything new. We are going to focus this month on old favorites. Do you have a stamp set that you used to just love and even though you haven’t used it in forever you haven’t wanted to part with it? Do you have some designer paper or embellishments that you just had to have months or years ago and then used only once or maybe even never? What about retired colors of SU cardstock and ink? This is one talented group of stampers and I know you can take these old stamp sets and supplies and put a fresh spin on them…let’s play Everything Old is New Again!

Challenge Focus: Use one of the oldest stamp sets you own along with embellishments and supplies you’ve had for what seems like forever.

Required Element: RAK – you must mail your card out as a RAK on 3/20 to any DD/DDA – could be a birthday, get well, thinking of you, invite to come play with us, congratulations or just totally random no particular reason RAK. You do not need to tell us who you mailed your card to. For all addresses see the SMAK the DD thread.

Restricted Element: No stamps, tools, or supplies purchased or obtained within the last 6 months. We’re on the honor system here girls, so use your judgment to keep within the spirit of the challenge.

Bonus Challenge: Use a technique or style you haven’t used in a long time, but was a favorite at some point in your stamping past.

I pulled out several of my old favorite sets to see which one struck me to work with.  I several retired Stampin’ Up! sets that I adore and will never part with.  Garden Pleasures, Garden Treasures, Sweet Herbs, Roosted to name a few. I finally decided on an adorable set called Faith & Hope from the 2006 Spring Mini Catalog.

I stamped the main bunny, lamb and chick image on scrap watercolor paper, painted with reinkers and cut out.  I created a background scene using the flower images and stamping several times across the complete scene area. I painted all of the flower images and then used a large sponge dauber to apply green for the ground area.  I sketched out the tree trunk with an artist pen, painted and then sponged in the leaf area with the large dauber and complete by adding texture to the leaf and ground area with my mini fern stamp.  I sponged in the sky area with yellow along the ground area and blue in the sky.  I popped up the animal images in front of the scene with mounting tape. I added little dabs of Diamond Glaze to all the flowers and sprinkled Dazzling Diamond glitter to add a bit of sparkle.  I’m not sure it shows well in the photo.

I decided that I wanted to create a sort of window effect for my scene.  I used my scalloped decorative scissors and cut two borders for the top and bottom of the card.  I used a large needle and pierced the little delicate eyelet holes for added softness to the borders.  I mounted the top border with mounting tape and the bottom border was adhered to the already popped up and mounted main image layer. I love the soft yellow cardstock and ribbon with this adorable scene and to me the while eyelet border is just the perfect little embellishment.

Stamps:  Faith & Hope, Watercolor Minis

Paper:  Banana, White, Watercolor

Ink:  Stazon, Ranger Distress Peeled Paint Ink and Reinker, SU Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, LAvender Lace, Bashful Blue Ink and Reinkers

Accessories:  Watercolor Brushes, Sponge Daubers, Diamond Glaze, Dazzling Diamond Glitter, Liquid Applique (bunny tail) Artist Pen, Scalloped Decorative Scissors, Needle, Mounting Tape, Snips, Grosgrain