Watercolor Steampumk

Happy Saturday.  I hope you have had a chance to craft.  If not, I hope you carve out some time tomorrow.  Nothing renews the soul like unleashing your inner artist!

I sell my hand-crafted items in my Etsy shop, and at local craft fairs.  From time to time, I stumble upon an Etsy shop that I make purchases from.  And today, I want to share with you a digital file I purchased a week or so ago.   Aurora Wings, has coloring digital files for grown-ups.  {smile} I really do love to water color, so it was a lot of fun to sit and color this image. {smile}  I am also entering this card in a few challenges.

The crafty gals over @ Sugar Creek Hollow have a fun challenge this time:  Word Play; you need to have a sentiment on your project.  

The wonderful ladies over @ Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Blog would like you to use all the pretty flowers you have been hoarding/collecting.
And finally, the talented ladies over @ Just Us GirlS have trend challenge this week: watercolor!

and here is my card

The card base is soft suede card stock by Stampin' Up!.  The first blue layer is a light blue texture heavy card stock that I purchased from a big box store.  The text paper is from Paper Studios.  I matted the text paper with soft suede card stock.  I used a scrap of G45 french country pattern paper for the scallop.  The scallop shape was cut with the Tasteful Trims die by Stampin' Up!

I wrapped the scallop trimmed pattern paper, a piece of pool party seam binding, and crochet trim around the front of the card.  I made a simple stitch with my sewing machine.  I tied a multi-loop bow with the same seam binding, and adhered the bow to the card front with my hot glue gun.

I printed my digital file onto whisper white card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I used my retired watercolor crayons and an aqua painter (both by Stampin' Up!) to water color the image.

I added some scrap pieces of Glisten pattern paper from Authentique, to the bottom edge of my matted watercolor piece.  I adhered this main piece to the card front with foam tape.

I created a tattered blossom with the tattered pinecone die by Tim Holtz.  I added some glitter to the petal tips.  I used a pale blue card stock for the leaves.  I used a die to cut the leaves.  Then I sponged soft suede classic ink, to the leaf tips.

I made a small tag to hold my sentiment: you mean the world to me   This sentiment is from the One Person stamp set by Verve.

Due to the bulk of the blossom, this greeting card will not fit in an A2 size envelope, so I decorated a large glassine bag.  I used some of the same papers and the same sentiment to decorate the bag.  

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you have been inspired to watercolor, join a challenge, or simply create something!

Daughter's Card

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful, selfless mothers out there.  I can now share a card I created.  I used the sketch over @ Mojo Monday for this card.  However, I wasn't a great fan of the diamond shape, so I used a different shape.  

I used pattern paper from Kaiser Craft.  When I saw this pattern paper, I instantly thought Mother's Day.  Don't know why, but that was my first thought.  Maybe its because it reminds me of vintage wall paper, or the fact that I truly miss my grandmother.

here is the sketch:

here is my card:

The polka dot pattern paper is from Heidi Swapp.  The reverse side has different texts on it.  But there is just something about this color of polka dot pattern.  Its not blue, its not green, is something that is a wonderful blend of the two.  

The floral and rich red pattern paper is from Kaiser Kraft: Telegraph Road. I just LOVE it.  

Ok, I changed the diamond shape for this top note shaped piece.  And the rectangle piece I switched for a coin envelope.  (Yeah, I made my own.)  I added the red pattern paper to the outside of the envelope to help give it some character.  I machine stitched the pattern paper to the envelope.  I used some gold bakers twine and tied a double bow, tied the key and button to the flap.  

I added a tag to the envelope.  I stamped 'Happy Mother's Day' and 'I can't imagine a wold without you' on the tag.  Because I truly can't.  It's amazing to me how when we are younger, us girls don't want to be our mothers.  But when we become mother's ourselves we immolate them.  And we are happy to.  

I did change the banner piece coming out of the rectangle piece.  I simply used a tiny vintage safety pin to elevate my banner.  I stamped 'made with {heart}' on the banner piece.  Because I truly did {smile}.

The key was purchased last year, for a craft I was working on for some Christmas craft fairs, and I have a few left over.  Oh, and the stamps are from Verve: One Person.

Well, I am off to my daughter's house to have lunch with her and her family.  Then to a local restaurant to take my mother-in-law out to dinner.  Take a moment to let your mother know how special she is today.  and always.