Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge

Are YOU ready for some Football?!!!

Well, I am; if it's Redskins Football that is!

Yes, folks, it's sad, but true - I'm a dyed in the wool, hard core, we'll get 'em next season, love 'em or hate 'em but live and die by the burgundy and gold, Washington Redskins fan.
My Dad and I spent many a Sunday afternoon watching our team fight it out on tv, while curled up on the couch together. On really chilly Sunday afternoons, we'd share a huge homemade afghan - you know the kind that has big holes in it so when you try to get up quick your fingers and toes get caught in it? Yeah, that kind. What awesome memories. My Dad taught me to love football - and my Redskins and I love him for that. He's been back in the hospital again this week with some heart issues, so if you think about it would you say a prayer or two for him? I know he wants to watch this season with me!
I almost decided to change teams this year when Dan Snyder decided to bring on Donovan McNabb from our arch rival the Philadephia Eagles. But like someone told me - a win will be a win, regardless of who is under center. So, hey, if ol' Donovan can bring us a few more wins this year, then I guess I'll still be watching - someday we'll get our 'real' franchise quarterback! And you know what? If his waning talent gets us to the playoffs, I, like any self-respecting fan will be singing a different tune come January!

But, hey, I know you didn't stop by here to listen to me drone on about my favorite sport besides ice skating - you want to see a card! (But if you ever want to talk football, Facebook or e-mail me, ok?!)

Here is the view from the top (boy I'd like to be in THAT position for real at the end of the season!):

I love taking pictures of my projects from these oddball angles - don't know if you all like it too much or not, but it's fun, and different - kinda like me! :)

And here is the sketch I was working from this week from Stamping 411:

I KNOW, I changed it! But the stamped footballs looked better this way:

So, what do you think?
I don't often do masculine cards, but when I took a look at this sketch yesterday, the 'blob' behind the tri-panel focal point really jumped out at me and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to break out my newly acquired Exteme Elements stamp set.
Not having a clue where I was going with it, I had the news on listening for reports about Hurricane Earl (which thankfully, turned out to be mostly a big blowhard!) and I heard a promo for last night's Redskins game against Arizona. (They lost, but hey, it's just preseason!) So, one thing led to another and I ended up making a football themed card in my precious burgundy and gold colors. These were also the colors for my high school teams - the Stonewall Jackson Raiders. Somewhere I've got a photo of me in my cheerleading outfit, but now honestly, who needs to be exposed to THAT?!

Sorry for all the chatter today, but man, making this card and writing this post is really carrying me down memory lane! I hope you are enjoying the trip! I'll put a supply list at the bottom of the post for you, ok?

So, all the stamping with the exception of the footballs on the tri-panel pieces was done with either Craft ink, Versamark or Classic ink then Versamark. I basically made a piece of my own background paper with the football stamp and Cajun Craze ink on Whisper White cardstock. It was cut apart into three strips and I mounted them onto More Mustard cardstock. (The now retired Marigold Morning was closer to my Redskins gold, but I guess Stampin' Up! doesn't appreciate my team like I do!)

These stamped paper strips were mounted with Stampin' Dimensionals over a panel made of Whisper White cardstock. I took the big splotch stamp from Extreme Elements and inked it up with Bravo Burgundy Craft ink and stamped it several times on the cardstock. It's overlapped in quite a few places, but the beauty of this stamp is that you can do that to make a larger splotchy area and you can't tell it! Love that! I then heat embossed it with Clear Embossing Powder and my Heat Tool.
The torn strip of Bravo Burgundy cardstock was added to the White and Bravo Burgundy layers with Gold Brads before the whole card front was mounted to the More Mustard cardstock base.

Now, the accents on the right hand side are really cool! I stamped the football one more time with my Cajun Craze ink on Whisper White, then using my Stamp-a-ma-jig for perfect placement (see Patti, I'm still lovin' it!) I stamped it again with Versamark and embossed it with Clear EP. The cool spotted splotch that it's mounted on (looks like jersey material to me!) was also heat embossed as well as the "Touchdown" greeting. I roughed these up a little bit to add some contrast and even stamped a football over the word and inked up the cardstock too. Getting a touchdown is a little rough and tumble in real life, especially when you watch Clinton Portis or Mike Sellers run it Redskins style across the goal line! Yeah!! Oops, sorry, more football, I know......
Those pieces are all popped up with more dimensionals and that's pretty much it. Not sure who I'll send this one to, after all, who could really appreciate it like I do? Ya know?
Maybe I'll frame it and put it on display with my signed Larry Brown mini-football that I got when I was 8. Yes, really........

So glad you stopped by today to visit, you should get a medal if you read all the way to the end here. I don't have one to give out, but really, you should get one. Just sayin'!
Be sure to check out all the other operators creations by visiting the Stamping 411 blog - these gals, my peeps, are awesome stampers and really make some gorgeous things!
Have a great weekend everyone and Go Skins! :)

~~Robin

Supplies used: (All SU!)
Stamps: Extreme Elements, Touchdown
Inks: Bravo Burgundy Craft, Cajun Craze, Versamark
Cardstock: More Mustard, Bravo Burgundy, Whisper White
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Powder Pals, Stampin' Dimensionals, Gold Brads, Paper Snips