Season's Greetings Cardinals

The November technique challenge at Christmas Card Throwdown is Watercolor. I got this image at a stamp show several months ago, mostly for the cardinals. I thought it was high time to use it, and that it would work perfectly for this challenge. I based my design on Sketch #SC656 at Splitcoaststampers.com.

I stamped the Heartfelt Creations "Festive Holiday" image onto a scrap of 140 lb. watercolor paper. I used Lawn Fawn's Walnut ink, for a more subtle look than black would provide. I painted it with my Mijello Mission Gold & Da Vinci watercolors. After it dried, I die cut it with the coordinating die.

For the background, I stamped the My Favorite Things "Cheesecloth Background" (discontinued) with Memento Toffee Crunch ink onto tan cardstock. I also die cut 2 circles from patterned papers from my scrap stash.

When I put the image over the background & patterned paper circles, it all seemed a bit too busy. So I got the idea to adhere a piece of vellum to the back of the image. I glued the image to a piece of Essentials by Ellen 40 lb. vellum. I added the glue just behind the wheel itself. When it dried, I trimmed around with my scissors, so that the vellum showed just through the openings in the wheel.

I stamped a greeting from Hero Arts' "Color Layering Partridge" onto a strip of dark green cardstock. I heat embossed that with Ranger White Super Fine Detail embossing powder, & angled the ends of the strip. After adhering my elements to the background, I added my greeting over the wheel. Finally, I matted the panel with the same green cardstock I'd used for the greeting, and adhered it to a white A2-size card base.

I'm also entering this card in Creative Knockouts Challenge #326: "Winter/Holidays."