Lets make a Quirky Mess, you know you want to!

Caro asked invited us to Make a Quirky Mess for the latest Quirky challenge, and we didn't need asking twice! We have three great sponsors, Crafty Ribbons, Bugaboo, and Squigglefly. 

My first card is made with Artistic Bear from Squigglefly. I first printed him on my cardstock in a position that allowed me to fold the card into a card blank, which eventually I had to change. First thing was to mask him and I used Artist's Masking Fluid which was painted on, and is very quick to dry so tricky stuff! Then I got my acrylic paints out and got messy, first painting the flower head freehand, then filling in all the white space, and this paint is quite thick and textured (at least mine was).  When all the painting was done I removed the mask to reveal the bear and colour it with Promarkers. The paint dripping from the paintbrush and in puddles on the floor and on the bear is 3d Paint. I found I couldn't get the lid off the paint, or unblock it so resorted to cutting the top off and squeezing the remaining paint into a jar! Finally I added some Crafty Ribbon, and stamped Happy Mother's Day with a Hero Arts clear stamp. The card wasn't up to acrylic paint and was buckling and curling and so I cut off the back and mounted the panel on a new stronger card blank.

Guy New Job is from Bugaboo, and he is coloured with Promarkers and his suit is decoupaged (mainly because the first Guy had a grey face as if the ink ran, or the pen was dirty, and I decided he needed to be on a panel. This background was acheived using my Creative Expressions Messy Mat for the first time. I dropped Distress inks in three colours (Broken China, Peeled Paint, and Dusty Concord) and then brayered the mat. The result was a lovely mix of inks which opened up in places to leave gaps, hence the white space. The white card was placed down on the messy mat and rubbed over, and the background here is the result. I stamped a London background stamp by Hero Arts over the panel, and cut it out. Guy new Job and sentiment are cut with Nestabilties. Crafty Ribbon added, and I think it looks like tie material.

Inside, the card insert is also stamped with the London background stamp, masked to leave a panel to write on one side.