Inspired by Monmartre and Card Drive Blog Candy reminder

Hi Everyone.  Happy Sunday night.  I hope you all had a fabulous weekend.

Susan's Simplicity site one layer Wednesday challenge was to use masking.  Now, making one layer cards is pretty tough I find, so I am trying to do these challenges when I have the time.  I thought a lot about this challenge and really wanted to use the Eiffel tower stamp from the new Artistic Etchings set.  This set was part of the pre-order preview.  You all know that I love my Chic Boutique set, which features an Eiffel Tower stamp, but the Artistic Etchings stamp has a very realistic looking Eiffel Tower.  Great, I thought, I can use the new stamp – the one that is due to arrive in my box… this was last Friday.

Errr…. mmmmm…. I opened the box this morning and guess what….. yep… I FORGOT to order the stamp set!!!! How can I be that asleep!  So, as I was all set to do the card, I decided I would just have to make do with the Eiffel Tower from Chic Boutique.

Why this card?  Well, many years ago on a trip to Paris, I was wondering around Monmartre.  There were artists everywhere with their easels and their art set up under trees.  It was a glorious afternoon and little brightly colored umbrellas were above each easel.

I came across one artist whose work was so simple.  Water color images of pastoral scenes.  Unfortunately his signature is indecipherable, otherwise I would love to give him credit.  Anyway, I was torn between two pictures – one he had just finished of a daytime farmyard scene and one featuring the same farmyard, but at night.  I really couldn't make up my mind.  The artist decided it would be a good idea to take the pictures into the light and out from the shade of his umbrella so that I could see the paintings better.

Great idea.  EXCEPT… well, I did say that the artists were set up under the trees, right?  Well, I think you can imagine what happened next.  Yes, Mr or Mrs Pigeon decided it was time to fertilize the ground.  Except, on this occasion, the night scene was right under Mr/s Pigeon.  Ooooooppppsss.  Considering the paintings have LOTS of white space and the scenes are just in the middle of the canvas, a large globule of bird poop was more than noticeable!    In fact, it was just about bigger than the painted scene! The artist didn't miss a beat.  He said "merde".  Then looked at me and said in fragmented English, "I guess the bird made up your mind for you!"

I tried to take a good picture of the painting for you – but couldn't as it is
in an inside room and the lights reflect off it terribly.  So, I could only capture the scene in the middle – there is a lot of white space around this image.  The canvas looks yellow, but it really is white – I just couldn't get a good pic.  If you run your cursor over the little pic, you can blow it up.  You can see the sky and the grass in the foreground and the bright yellow sun.  That's what I tried to capture in my homage to the Monmartre for Susan's One Layer Wednesday challenge.

I will remake this card when my new – and more realistic Tour Eiffel arrives after July 1.  However, the more cartoon-ish tower probably fits quite well with the inspiration images.

I masked the area with one of my nestability rectangles and sponged the sky, the sun and the grasses/trees and then stamped the tower in StazOn black.  The merci, from the Chic Boutique set was also stamped in StazOn. 

I had thought about placing the sentiment in the lower left corner, but it really unbalanced the card, so I decided to put it in the center of the image instead.  I had a lot of fun creating the card, and reliving my early trip to Paris and my time spent at Monmartre.

On a personal note – for something completely different, it was raining again today.  Yep…. no sitting on the deck AGAIN.  However, the garden needs the rain, so I will not complain – and it keeps the temperatures low, which is always a good thing as far as I'm concerned. 

Lynn created a fabulous Lollipop card that I wanted to share with you tonight.  Pop along to Lynn's site and check out this fabulously yummy card .  I loved the bright colors and the way she created the Lollipop.  Oh… and Lynn let me know that she has packaged up 50 cards for our card drive.  YAY, Lynn.  That's terrific.  50 servicemen/women who will be able to make 50 of their loved ones happy when the receive a fabulous hand-crafted card. 

Don't forget, that there are still 17 days till the end of this card drive.  For every 10 cards you send, you will get one entry into the draw for $100 stamping dollars.  That's $100 dollars to spend out of the new Stampin Up catty.  You can donate cards for either Operation Write Home, or HugsandHope. 

Rules for the card drive

• there are no rules.  Just one reminder – please do not use glitter for either of the charities we are supporting
• No rules means you can make any type of card you like, use any brand of stamp, embellishment, paper, etc.  It does not have to be SU – it can be anything you have on hand
• You can CASE cards.  You can design your own.  You can make them all the same.  Whatever is easiest for you.
• All you have to do is let me have them by end of day on June 30.
• If for any reason you are running late, just send me an email and let me know.
• Bilbo Baggins will be doing the Independence Day draw on July 4th and I will announce the lucky winner on July 5th.

As always, your support, your visit and your comments are much appreciated by me – and by the rest of the blog readers!

I hope you have a fabulous week filled with laughter, love, time spent with family and friends and remember to say prayers for Trish, Germaine, Beth and Lynn and all those affected by the oil spill and those trying to help the animals caught up in it.

Hugs

Jaydee