Map-it

So glad you stopped in today! 

 I have a special guest surprise to share with you today.

I like maps and I’m enjoying seeing stamped images of maps becoming popular this season.  Maps are also popping up in other art forms.  Last month I saw Valerie Goodwin’s website  of quilt designs showcasing community highlights with local maps of real places.  I loved that concept perhaps because I live in a town with high tourism.  As my mind started spinning on how to blend the inspiration into a card design I asked my friend Anne Gaal to join me in making another map inspired card.  I am so pleased to share both of our cards with you today.  

 As I started to create my concept I focused on one of my favorite local features. Creamer's Field was a fully operational dairy from 1928-1966 and now it is a 1800 acres Migratory Waterfowl Refuge on the northern side of town.  It’s location is ideal for migrant and resident songbirds traveling to the arctic, subarctic, and temperate regions of northwestern North America.  During our beautiful summer days I often stop by the Refuge 3-4 times a week and walk the trails with my dog. The annual appearance of Canadian geese and sandhill cranes announce the changes in the seasons in Fairbanks.  

Let me share the card I created:

The map became the background of my card. Starting with a simpler map I hand-colored many details. I enjoy that the river runs through the center town and creates many parallel curving streets. The refuge is at the very top of the card and it is uncanny to me that the main road across the top is shaped very much like the actual hills to the far north of the refuge.  I used an embossing folder to create the wildflowers where the goose is standing. Inked it DTP and added some sparkling ink accents to the flowers.  I do enjoy using this large goose stamp and colored with my Tombow markers.  I attached the goose with pop dots and added an additional 3-D effect by dry embossing the edges so they would roll towards the card which is capture with the light on the goose's back in this photo. 

Now I am honored to share a sneak look at Anne's map inspired card:

 

WOW, Anne's details and colors are fabulous! Here is a close-up.

If you want to hear about her secret in creating the fabulous background details you will want to jump over to her blog

 Gaal Creative.

 

 I thank Anne for all the fun times in preparing this post!  I believe her sentiment is the perfect closure to this post...so happy creating til our paths cross again!...Jan