Just Chickin' In...

After weeks of rain, we finally have a string of beautiful sunny, spring days ahead here in Houston! I'm sure I'll be heckled by those of you who are still battling the snow and ice, but you'll get your due in August when it's 100 and humid here!

I finally managed to get a Mojo Monday sketch challenge done this week, although it's Thursday already-LOL! I find sketches to be a great way to get inspired- it makes me try a layout and stamps that I might not otherwise think to use on my own.

After seeing this sketch, I decided to use "Best of Cluck", a retired Stampin' Up set that will always have a place in my closet- I have seen so many funny cards using this set over the years! To go with the farm themed card, I chose a palette of Soft Suede, Riding Hood Red and More Mustard and some retired patterned paper from the Sweet Slumber set. The chicken was stamped with brown pigment ink and colored with coordinating markers, then cut out using my Sizzix machine and a nested die.

I tied some of my wide Riding Hood Red striped ribbon that I have been saving (i.e. hoarding) with hemp twine and a button for a country look and mounted the image over the top. I do love Riding Hood Red and wish it would make it into the main line-up of Stampin' Up colors! I lightly stamped chicken footprints, overstamped the greeting, then punched it out using the 1-1/4" circle punch. This was nested onto a Mustard piece cut with the 1-3/8" punch and a patterned piece cut with the scalloped circle punch.

I had trouble with the scalloped edges and tried so many variations (hence why it was not finished on Monday!). Somehow the plain Suede color was too, well plain. I tried adding strips of patterned paper, but then couldn't decide which color was nicer- each gives it a different look. So... here are the other two and you all get to decide!

Leave a comment and vote for the one you like the best. Someone I randomly draw from the comment pile will win a free SAB set of their choosing, so be sure to leave a name and email so I can contact you!

Have a great day!