A Little 5-Year Old Birthday Girl!

My daughter called tonight and said she needed a birthday card for her little God-daughter, who is turning four in a few days, and could I make a card for Alexis, or did I have something already made that might work?"  She knows how I love to make cards for children. . .they are just so darn fun!  But, unfortunately, I really didn't have time to create from scratch, because I have so many other birthdays coming up in the next few days.  So, to my card stash I went, because I knew I had a little card that might just work.  This was a card I had made five years ago, believe it or not, but because all my little girl birthdays did not fall in the summer months, it has just never been right for the occasion.

Here was my problem: I needed my little girl to have darker skin and her hair to be black, because then it could be Alexis sitting on the piling in the sand near the sea.  Michele said, "Can you change it?"  I bravely replied, I don't know, but I can try. . .it will either work or NOT!"  After hanging up, I, very nervously, got to work.  Why nervous?  First, I had only colored one other dark-skinned person for a card, and that was when I was in a class over five years ago, with the instructor right there to help with any questions, and it was a step-by-step tutorial.  Second, I was not very familiar with coloring black hair either.  I have done it, but only a few times several years ago.  Third, to further complicate matters, I was coloring over a little girl with pinkish-light tan skin and auburn brown hair coloring.  Does it sound like I bit off more than I was going to be able to chew??

I started with the hair, because I thought it might be the easiest to over-color, but it began by looking green in the highlighted areas, and my fear grew!  I finally got it to a point where it was black, though not the best coloring job in my opinion.  Next, I tackled the skin, which really made me nervous for sure.  I was finally able to get her somewhat blended out, but it, also, does not look like my best coloring job.  All in all, I think she turned out pretty well considering what I was trying to do with my limited talents. 

 I then decided to sponge the image background to add a subtle hint that she was sitting near the sea.  I also thought it looked a little bald and stark white, but keep in mind, I made this card when I first started making cards, and I certainly wasn't sponging in those days.  (Note: the lighter sponging in the top half of the circle doesn't show up in the picture.)  I added some green shading to the wood piling to offset her skin a bit, because I thought there were too many brown tones side-by-side.  I finished it off with some pearls to add a bit more bling, and done it was.  I think Alexis will be pleased with her little girl sitting on the seaside piling.

Next, I worked on the inside design and a birthday verse for a little girl turning four.  I got it composed to my liking and then created the interior design to coordinate with the outside.  I was glad I was able to come up with something I think Michele will be able to use.

Recipe:  Georgia Pacific White cardstock.  Bazzill cardstock.  Stampin' Up cardstock:  Soft Sky (inside).  BoBunny Double Dot: Mint Dot.  Echo Park: Sweet Summer Time/ Blue Sky.  DCWV Stack: Stripes & Plaids.  Magnolia stamp: Tilda Ready for Beach.  Copic Markrs.  Spellbinders dies: Circles; Scalloped Circles.  EK punch: Deco Scallop Corner (inside).  BoBunny Grosgrain ribbon: Mint Dot.  Recollection pearls (Copic colored).  Karen Foster: Scrapper's Floss.  Stickles: Iridescent Glittler Glue (Copic colored).  Square doily (trimmed).  Computer verse.  Size: 5-1/2" square.