Fishy Thanks - Shadowbox Technique

While we're in Ontario next week, we'll be staying with my cousin and her family. We're going to her family cabin for 4 nights, which has no electricity, no running water (we pump it in from the river) and only an outhouse for a bathroom. What fun, I say! My husband on the other hand is less than enthusiastic, but then, he's not from a "roughing it" kind of background. Sure he likes to camp for a day or 2, but I think he's a little frightened of what we're getting ourselves into. I've been there before; in fact I took my then 6 month old daughter, and stayed there a whole week with my cousin and her two children (then 2 1/2 and 9 months)! We had a great time, and I expect nothing less this time around. So, to thank her family for being such great hosts, I made them this "Fishy" card. I am in love with the Shadow box card, and have been making them non-stop for a little while (I'll post another from a swap I'm doing soon, and I've also got another one on the blog here). So here's a little tutorial for how to make this card:

Step 1: Cut 2 pieces of cardstock into 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" (regular card size). Then score at 1/2" and 1" on each side. You can do this width-ways (on the 4 1/4" side) or length-ways (on the 5 1/2" side) as shown on this card. Fold along scored lines, so that when put together, your pieces form a "box". I started with some "Naturals White" and Tempting Turquoise cardstock.

Step 2: Cut a circle into the Turquoise cardstock using a Coluzzle. Using a piece of Saran Wrap, dab into turquoise ink pad then apply liberally on front of turquoise cardstock for background.

Step 3:Decorate inside piece of cardstock. Make sure when you place your background, you line it up with the circle you cut in the other piece. I used Fishy Friends here, and then cut out some pieces of Green Galore and Gable Green cardstock to make "seaweed". I punched out 3 little circles for bubbles, and put Crystal effects on each of them. I also waterpainted some turquoise "waves" behind the fish, and added some Dazzling Diamonds on each wave with a 2-way glue pen.

Step 4: Decorate the outside of your card. I cut a piece of Naturals White cardstock and folded it in half, so I would have somewhere to write a note (otherwise, on these cards you need to write on the back). I covered it with a Gable Green piece that I had dabbed Green Galore and T. Turquoise ink with the saran wrap. Then I added my "Thank you So much" tag and the little seahorse (with my attempt at watercoloring - I really need to practice that more!).

Sorry this picture is so blurry!

Final Step: Place Sticky Strip along the edges of your card (see picture #1 for placement), then put together for this great card! I must say, I'm pretty happy with it - considering I thought of it all by myself. And I did it in the 2 hours my daughter slept for her nap (which is good - it usually takes me that long to make a regular card if I have to think of it myself!)! :)

Have fun with this technique; if you're like me, you'll be using all sorts of stamps and making tonnes of these cards too!