MFT's Card Superstar CAS Challenge

Today, I've created my final card for the My Favorite Things Card Superstar Contest (Clean and Simple Challenge). I also managed to use a stamp set I'd purchased a LONG time ago but never used.

My card measures 5" x 7". I stamped all of the images from the MFT "Party Like a Pirate" stamp set. I stamped them with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on Copic XPress-It Blending Card. CAS cards are supposed to be one layered, with minimal embellishments, and I wanted some images to overlap (skull, coins, etc.). To do that, I created some "masks," by stamping the images on another piece of paper, fussy cutting them, and placing them over images I wanted to keep in the front when I stamped. In the end, I had 2 pirates, a treasure chest, three piles of coins, and a skull.

I colored everything with Copics. After I finished coloring all of the characters, I decided I wanted a palm tree, but I didn't have a stamp I liked. Instead, I cut out the top of the palm tree and trunk from MFT's "Beach Scene Builder Die-Namics" die set. I used them as an outline guide and traced around them very lightly in pencil. Once I had my pencil outlines, I added details with my Copics, including rearranging some leaves to make it fit the scene a bit more.

I felt like the adorable pirates needed some waves, clouds and sand to complete the scene. I took the "Wave Maker Stencil" and lightly traced the edges, using my pencil. After I had two rows of waves, I used the "Mini Cloud Edges Stencil" in the same way, lightly tracing along the edges with my lightest blue color (B000). I used some Post-It Tape to mask a top and bottom edge, so I'd have a nice, crisp edge between the color and white space. After all of that, I simply went in with my Copics and colored everything.

Since this design is clean-and-simple, I didn't add any embellishments. I added a tiny red mat, to highlight the pirates' red clothes, with a white mat at the bottom. Before I assembled everything, I stamped one of the sentiments from "Party Like a Pirate" just above the colored section of the card.

List of all stamps/dies/stencils used on this card:

• Party Like a Pirate stamp set (My Favorite Things)
• Beach Scene Builder Die-Namics (My Favorite Things)
• Wave Maker Stencil (My Favorite Things) 
• Mini Cloud Edges Stencil (My Favorite Things)

Other supplies:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic XPress-It Blending Card
• Copic markers (various)

I hope ye' have a GRRRRRREAT day, matey!