Altenew Botanicals and Watercoloring

Good Morning...Happy Wednesday. We're supposed to have a 76F temperature day, but our sunshine is in & out.

Two of my good blog friends have started a new challenge here (Bonnie & Loll) and Our Darnell has NBUS Challenge #6 going on. So I've tried to find time each day to make 'something' that would fit in these challenges;  each day something would come up to delay my good intentions.

This is one of those cards that _should_ have been so easy. Tried several different times working with watercolors and this pretty Altenew Botanical image - each one was a bust. Finally got one I could go with, so here it is:

 

 

- Altenew Botanical Clear flower was embossed with Ranger's Gold on Bristol Smooth paper (it's quite like watercolor paper, except a smooth surface). First effort, created the water colored background & stamped, embossed. Decided the flower blossom should not have the background colors. Restamped the flower first; masked it with the Molotow masking pen, which I'd used before with good results. Did a background watercolor wash with Kuretake Gansai Tambi  watercolors which I'd had for about 6 months**, unopened. Results were good, but when I removed the masking, the flower blossom was mottled with the blue ink of the masking fluid. The mask rolled up fine, but it appeared that the fluid had absorbed into the paper. This pen came from another source than did the first pen I had used & had been used on Copic Xpress paper.

 

Anyway, this 3rd effort worked better - stamping and embossing, no masking, just creating the water color washed background.... and at the last minute, decided to use Zig Brush markers to color the flower Lilac.

 

- Die cut with a Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Frames. This is one of those times I didn't look at the die as closely as should have, and discovered it cuts out an inner layer with a stitched frame. Worked great for what I wanted, but something to remember. (I probably won't!). Used the outer stitched frame, and then popped up the inner portion on white fun foam.

 

- Elizabeth Craft dragon fly cut from 2 different snippets of previously created backgrounds, using sprays, brushos or something of the sort.

 

- The motif was layered on a white rectangle- which is just a bit creamier shade than was the card base. I liked the slight contrast. Layered onto a top fold plain white card base. As I looked at the plainness (let's call it CAS, shall we?) I thought about doodling a frame around the base card using a lilac marker. Folks, I was just too afraid that I'd mess  it all up! Like I said, this is one of those cards that really should have been an easy, no brainer. Didn't happen that way!

 

**Lesson learned from not opening packages, instead just tucking away to look at later. When I opened the Gansai Tambi box, several of the pans were broken. I'm guessing this happened in shipping, as I know I didn't drop the box. Set was ordered from Amazon when after seeing the product on some Youtubes. Since it's been a while ago, I can't contact Amazon to complain about the broken blocks of color. They will still work ok, but it's something to remember. Check out your packages when they arrive....don't just stack on Mount NBUS as I've done.  

 

 I'd like to enter this CAS card, with the mixed media techniques:  Stamping, Heat embossing, water coloring, & die cutting over at the CAS Mix Up Card Challenge. This challenge is open for 15 more days, and already has lots of fabulous entries.

 

 

 

Also would like to submit to the NBUS #6 which closes in one more day!

 

 

 

 

Both these are fun challenges hosted by some fantastically talented cardmaking bloggers, so I hope you'll find time to join in the fun!

 

Thanks for popping in. Hugs