Zodiac Series (Part 3)

Name:     Zodiac Series
Created:  Started 4/2012 - Completed 1/2016
Swap:     -

My first 'series' of LTC's.  I printed the backs of the cards in April 2012. It's now almost four years later and I finally completed the series!
Pisces was one of the first that I carved, Sagittarius was the final one.

I'm thinking about redoing the older cards with the smaller, more detailed images.

Designing a card

Unlike my other posts, this one is showing a card that hasn't been completed yet!

I've been planning a card that uses a background map with "Shrinky Dinks" landmarks on it. My first thought was London, but I decided on a map of the USA.

I started by carving the background map.  This was one of the hardest stamps I've ever carved!  Everyone knows what it should look like and even the smallest mistake is obvious. I decided to carve it at 3.5x5 for the extra detail and space.

I also carved the "Landmarks" stamps.  Then I stamped up a set and shrunk them.

I added the plastic pieces onto the map.  I had to fit each one into its area that matches the theme.
Disney castle in Florida, the riverboat on the Mississippi River, Route 66 in the Southwest...

This is a folding card so I also need to watch how they fit together when the card is folded.  Each piece claims a spot mirror-image from where I place it.  Notice how the riverboat fits around the wagon and above Route 66!  If you look closely you can see dried glue from where I moved them to make room.  The bridge has some extra room and I might carve a larger lighthouse, that is the smallest stamp and there's plenty of room in the corner.

Next I need to decide on a background paper and colors for each stamp.  The wagon will be brown and the castle blue.   Finally I will need to carve something for the front of the card when it's folded. I still have four months before the tracker is due.  I will work on stamping up the plastic (all 100+ pieces of them!) while I play around with different paper choices.
This card might break the record for the most carving rubber used on a single card!!

The Trail

Name:     Covered Wagon
Created:  Jan. 2016
Swap:     -

"The Oregon Trail is a 2,200-mile historic east–west large-wheeled wagon route and emigrant trail that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon."

This stamp was carved to be used in the "Shrinky Dinks" swap.   I still haven't figured exactly what I'm going to make, but I know this will be used on it, along with several other stamps.

A few months ago I unexpectedly planted a box at a rest area where the ruts from the Oregon Trail are still visible. (The Trail). I hope to plant this stamp in the same area on my next trip west.

The Cube

Name:     Rubik's Cube
Created:  Jan. 2016  
Swap:     -

 I reused my "Back to the 80's: Rubik's Cube" stamp to make a second card.  To make the card realistic, I scrambled a Rubik's Cube and copied the colors.

Pinups Continued

This is the other Princess Pinups, along with a few of my others.

50's Pinup Girl,  Catwoman,  Skinny Dipper
Rapunzel,  Ariel,  "Le Cœur de la Mer"
Cinderella,  Anastasia,  Snow White

Guitar Hero

Name:     Guitar Hero
Created:  Dec. 2014
Swap:     Just One More Level

SeerMeesh was looking for video game themed stamps for an event.  There was also a connected LTC swap hosted by badegg to use the stamps before donating them.

Foxwoods

Name:     Foxwoods
Created:  July 2013
Swap:     -

Most Magical Place on Earth

Name:     Cinderella Castle
Created:  Dec. 2015
Swap:     -

This stamp had been in my 'to-carve' file for over a year.  I finally carved it and stamped up a few cards.  I'm thinking about hosting a Disney swap soon and might use it then.