Monday, November 30, 2015

Merry & Bright


I know I said I'm not a one-layer card kind of gal (layer withdrawal, anyone? LOL), but I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment sometimes. I decided to do one more for a2z Scrapbooking's challenge this month. Since I knew I wanted to do a bit of watercoloring, I created my card base from Strathmore Smooth Bristol paper.

I used 2 stamps from a new-to-me set by Hero Arts, "Joy to the World." I put my card base in my MISTI, and used my grid template overlay to help me line up my greeting & one of the "tree" stamps. Then I picked the stamps up with the door on my MISTI, and used Versamark ink to stamp them on the card. I sprinkled on Ranger Super Fine Detail White embossing powder, and melted it with my heat gun. Then I masked off the tree. I stamped the second tree, and sprinkled on embossing powder. That's when I realized my mistake.

I wanted my third (right hand) tree to go in front of the middle tree, so I should have stamped & embossed that first. No big problem, though, since I realized this before I melted my embossing powder on the second tree. I just positioned my stamp, and stamped it in Versamark, overlapping the middle tree slightly. I brushed away the embossing powder from the middle tree where they overlapped, and sprinkled powder onto my third tree. Then I heat set both trees. You can't even tell I goofed--whew!

Once my embossing had cooled, I brushed clean water over the greeting & trees. Then I smooshed Evergreen Bough Distress ink onto an acrylic block, and picked it up with a wet paintbrush. I daubed it onto the wet areas of my paper, letting it bleed and blend. Then I dried that with my heat tool, and went over those areas with Pine Needles Distress ink and a wet brush. When I had the depth of color I wanted, I dried it again.

At this point, I felt the greeting & images looked a bit disconnected. So I added some splatters of Heidi Swapp Color Shine mist in the Tinsel color. This gives it added interest, and I think just helps to pull the design together. Once that had dried, I put my card under a book, since the watercoloring & heating had warped it a bit. I left it there for a few hours, and it flattened out nicely!

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Work It Wednesday: "Make a Holiday Card"
Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: "Anything Goes"
Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"

12 comments:

  1. How lovely!! The watercolours looks great with the white embossed trees and sentiment!! Thanks for playing with us at a2z!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. beautifully done Andrea. Love the splatters. Thanks for playing with us at A2Z

    ReplyDelete
  3. That color is perfect for the season. So glad you decided to play again with the one layer card idea and enter a2z Scrapbooking.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So pretty! Love the masking and colors for one fantastic holiday card. Thanks for playing with us at a2z Scrapbooking!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a great one layer card, I love it !
    Thanks for sharing it with us and hope to see you again in our next challenge as well,
    Hugs
    Willeke
    DT Through The Craft Room Door
    Made by Willeke {My personal Blog}

    ReplyDelete
  6. i LOVE this card!!! Great inking! Thanks for joining us at a2z!

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear your thoughts on my work, so feel free to speak your mind!