Charity Blog Hop -- Gifting A Giraffe + Giveaways

Be sure to subscribe to be entered in our weekly drawings to the right*:)   This week's giveaway will be this adorable Zoo Babies Wildly Cute Stamp Set (there are also prizes for participating in the charity blog hop so check on those below :) ------------>

G'day to y'all from this Aussie in Texas.  This post is a stop on the super fun and inspiring Charity Blog Hop.  Be sure to check the other blog stops listed below (and here) for other great charity gift ideas and projects to go with them.  Awesome companies are helping inspire you to hop along and leave comments on all the blogs - Altenew ($30), Lawn Fawn ($50), My Favorite Things ($25), and Ellen Hutson ($25)! Be sure to go say thanks to them on their social media sites for helping get the word out about giving … and leave comments by Wednesday, March 22, 2017. Winners will be announced on Sandy’s blog on Thursday, March 23, 2017, along with the total amount we’ve raised together!

When I heard about this Hop, I was so excited and instantly knew exactly how I wanted to participate.  I have a little niece, Mila, who turned two on March 4th.  She is a huge giraffe fan and I had to make sure she adopted one of her very own.  

I chose World Wildlife Fund as my adoption agency as I have done many times over the years.  They have different donation levels to fit any budget and the money goes to help conservation efforts around the world.  There are many animals to choose from as well, making it a great gift for almost any animal lover on your gift list.  

I chose the animal/level that included an adorable stuffed giraffe, along with an adoption certificate, photo, and fact card, pictured above. The package also included the adorable reusable gift bag so the gift was all taken care of except for a card. And that's perfect for a card maker like me since, of course, I want to make my own card for my niece.  That's how this little cutie came to be.

Layers:

• one 4 1/4" x 11" 100lb cardstock folded in half to create an A2 top-folded card
• one 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" 100lb cardstock for Fancy Scalloped Rectangle die
• one piece each  green and blue Watercolor Wonder Petite Paper for grass and sky
• one purple plaid piece from Perfectly Plaid Rainbow Petite Paper pad for mat.

I used the Wildly Cute Zoo Babies Stamp from Art Impressions for my giraffe,  I have several giraffes to choose from.  This particular one is irresistible and I think it is perfect for my two-year-old sweetie, the giraffe lover :)

To create a no-line color technique, I stamped the image lightly in Distress Antique Linen Ink.  This is a lovely light color that blends beautifully with many colors, fading away to create the illusion that it is not a stamped image.  I then proceeded to color the giraffe with the Copic colors listed in the supplies below.  I colored the head first, covering it with a good coat of YR20.  I then colored the areas I wanted shaded with YR23 and blended it all out with the YR21.  I went slowly and repeated the process until I was happy with the result.  I used the YR27 for the giraffe's spots and the YR20 for her ossicones (horns).  I colored the hooves in various warm gray colors and the bow in violet.  My niece, like her mom, is a big fan of purple.

My coloring was completed with the little chick partygoers (Party Animal Stamp set from Lawn Fawn).  They came to life with a couple of yellows and an almost orange for their beaks, as well as magenta and violet for all of the party hats.

I set the scene for the card by using a variety of dies and a petite paper pack from Lawn Fawn, one of my favorite companies.  

The brilliant Watercolor Wishes Petite Paper Pack answered my prayers for an easy, beautiful background on-the-go.  Here is an easy list of all of the layers:

1. Purple layer -- Largest die from the Large Stitched Rectangles dies.
2. Scalloped layer -- Largest die from Fancy Stitched Rectangle dies.
3. Blue and green layers -- Largest die from the Small Stitched Rectangle dies.  
4. Green layer -- Cut a Grassy Hillside border from each end of the Small Stitched Rectangle.  Attach the tallest one to the blue layer.  Stamp Happy Birthday from the Party Animals Stamp set in white onto the shorter grass piece. Sprinkle with embossing powder. Heat set. Pop grass up on the front of the card with Scotch Foam tape.
5. Cut three clouds out of some scrap white cardstock and, for some added dimension, pop one of the clouds up with Scotch Foam tape.
6. I also popped up the chicks and the giraffe with Scotch Foam tape.  What can I say, I love dimension!

Thank you all for visiting me today and participating in the Charity Blog Hop. :)  Please be sure to subscribe to my blog for weekly giveaways and remember to hop along and learn about all of these wonderful charities.  Next up is Melissa Miller  and here is a complete list for your hopping pleasure .

• Sandy Allnock 
• Lisa Stein 
• Caryn Davies
• Carly Tee Minner 
• May Sukyong Park 
• Lisa Spangler 
• Aimes Gray 
• Jessica Frost-Ballas 
• Ellen Hutson Blog
• Julia Stainton 
• Emily Midgett 
• Taheerah Atchia 
• Joanne Soukup 
• Melissa Miller 
• Libby Hickson 
• May Flaum 
• Cindy Lawrence

I hope it inspires you next time you have an occasion to give a gift.  

Cheers for today :)

Joanne

*  Please be sure to go to your email and validate your registration.  Only validated subscribers can be entered into the drawings.  Drawings are open to everyone no matter what country you are in.  Please be aware that if you live outside of the United States you will need to pay a small postage fee for the delivery of your prize. 

Supplies:

Zoo Babies, Wildly Cute Set, Art Impressions
Party Animals Stamps & Dies, Lawn Fawn
Watercolor Wishes Petite Paper Pack, Lawn Fawn
Perfectly Plaid Rainbow Petite Paper Pack, Lawn Fawn
Simply Puffy Cloud Frames dies, Lawn Fawn
Simply Grassy Hillsides dies, Lawn Fawn
Small Stitched Rectangle Stackable dies (largest die), Lawn Fawn
Large Stitched Rectangle Stackable dies (largest die), Lawn Fawn
Fancy Scalloped Rectangle Stackable dies (largest die), Lawn Fawn
Antique Linen Distress Ink, Ranger
Copic Markers:
     For bow and hats --V01,V04, V12, V25
     For hooves, nose, and eyes  -- W4, W5, W6, W9
     For giraffe -- YR20, YR21, YR23, YR27,
     For chicks -- Y04, Y13, Y38
     For hats -- RV09
Scotch Foam Tape, 3M