Blue Blooms

Hi everyone.  It's the start of a new challenge at Addicted to CAS.

This challenge is being hosted by the super talented Joanna (Harty by Heart) ... and she'll have us all feeling "BLUE" this week. :)

This challenge is sponsored by

I'm still having fun experimenting with both my watercolour sprays and my Zig watercolour pens. :)

This time I made the background using the Faux Mother-of-Pearl technique (click link to see video).  But instead of sponging with waterbased inks after sponging on the frost resist paint, I used my watercolour sprays to add colour.  I sprayed several times, blotting in-between with paper towel until I got the depth of colour I was happy with.  By that time, the card stock was really wet, so I let it dry overnight.  It did warp, but I find if I run it through my Big Shot between two new plates and add a shim, it flattens out really well.  I love the shimmer and shine of the background. Here's a close-up photo so you can see it ...

I stamped my flowers onto mixed media paper in waterproof black (I love working on mixed media paper with the zigs ... or any kind of watercolouring for that matter). The watercolours blend and move so easily as they don't absorb into the paper as fast as w/c paper.  I coloured them with just one shade of turquoise, adding layers to create depth.  Used green for the stems and a little yellow for the flower centers.  I then fussy-cut them and popped them up over my main panel, which was framed with black.  A simple black stamped sentiment and the card was done.

I hope you'll come join us at ATCAS for this fun challenge.  We have Linda (PaperCutting Kind of Day) guest designing for us this month.  Come check out the challenge HERE to see Linda's beautiful "blue" card and the cards from the rest of our wonderfully talented Design Team.  I know you'll be inspired to join in.

I'm going to enter this card into a couple of other challenges:  ATS&M #159 - CAS (second entry) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (also second entry). :)

Thanks for dropping by for a visit!

Stamps:  Efflorescence (Penny Black); Where Your Heart Is (Simon Says)

Paper:  White card base and main panel (Neenah); Mixed Media (Strathmore); Black (SU!)
Ink:  Black Archival (Ranger)
Accessories & Tools:  Frost Paint (Tsukineko), saran wrap, Green and Turquoise Watercolour Sprays made from w/c concentrate (Dick Blick)

Challenges:

ATCAS #71 - Blue
ATS&M #159 - CAS
SSS Wednesday - Anything Goes