Hello...Hi...What's Up?

Today is the final day to enter a2z Scrapbooking's "Anything Goes" challenge. I decided to do one more card for that.

This time, I began by choosing my stamps. I used Hero Arts' "Hello Grid" for the focal panel, and one of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' "Borders & Backgrounds" for the smaller panel. Based on those, I decided on Operation Write Home's Sketch #223 for my design:

I stamped the "Hello Grid" onto a piece of Strathmore Mixed Media paper. I wanted something heavy to take the watercoloring I was going to do, but with a smooth surface to capture the detail in the image. I then heat embossed it with Ranger Super Fine Detail White embossing powder, to create a resist. I did the same with the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps border stamp, on a smaller panel of Mixed Media paper.

For the watercoloring, I used Distress ink mini ink pads in Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry, and Peacock Feathers. I pressed the ink pads directly on the paper. I'll admit, it looked like a hot mess at this point! But I took my homemade Perfect Pearls spray and misted the bejeebers out of both panels. I used a dry paper towel to sop up some of the excess ink, to keep from creating mud. Otherwise, I just let it air dry for a while. I did end up zapping it with my heat gun, just to finish off the drying. I trimmed the focal panel right up to the heat embossed edge, and double-matted both panels with black & yellow cardstocks.

For the background, I decided on a teal cardstock, to play off the Peacock Feathers ink I'd used. To add a bit of interest between the panels, I die cut a row of dots with one of the dies from My Favorite Things' "Blueprints 18" set. I backed that with more yellow cardstock, and mounted both matted panels to the teal. Finally, I adhered the completed card front to a white A2-size card base. I have already sent this card on to Send a Smile 4 Kids. Hopefully, it will shine a light on a hospitalized child's day!

I'm also entering this in the May "Watercolor" challenge at Live Love Cards.