Thanks for Being My Friend

This week's Our Craft Lounge challenge is a photo inspiration challenge based on a great patriotic themed photo.  I took my inspiration from the photo's red, white, and blue color scheme and the picnic basket in the background and created this simple friendship themed card.

I used the current sketch from Freshly Made Sketches as the basis for my card.  I picked a floral patterned paper for the panel on the left side of the card and paired it with a solid on the right.  A strip of red grosgrain ribbon hides the seam between the two papers.

My focal image is the bicycle from the Out for a Spin set.  I colored the image with Copic markers.  To ground it, I drew in a sidewalk beneath the bike and used some distress ink, a sponge, and a cloud template to add a pale blue sky background.  The image is layered on a blue mat, then set on the cardfront.  I had just enough room left to stamp the thank you sentiment from the Say it with Flowers set at the bottom of the card.

And, a thank you card's appropriate today since this is my last post as an Our Craft Lounge design team member.  I want to thank Cami and Kendra and the rest of the OCL crew for having me--I've loved being a part of this talented team and I'll miss you!

Materials Used:
Out for a Spin and Say it with Flowers stamp sets (Our Craft Lounge); Marshmallow cardstock (Bazzill); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); Broken China distress ink (Ranger); markers, multiliner pen (Copic); Poppy Parade and Brocade Blue cardstock (Stampin' Up!); designer paper (Pink Paislee); red grosgrain ribbon (Michaels)