Watercolor Card - Landscape

I whipped up some waterolor paper this morning.  I used 140lb cold press paper measuring 11x15 inches.  Fortunately, I unpacked my glass shelf and a couple of plastic craft work sheet and taped the paper down.

I decided to use some Stampin Up reinker in water based dye ink which works the same as watercolor but will match the card stock I have.  I chose Always Artichoke, Only Orange, Baroque Burgundy. 

I used regular salt on one sheet, coarse salt on another and cling wrap on other.

I trimmed the watercolor paper after I decided what my bottom layers were going to be. I chose deep green card stock, deep red card stock and More Mustard card stock.  Ripped the top edges and layered them front to back and then taped the back with clear tape. I trimmed the watercolor paper to fit just below the top edge of the accent. I adhered it to a More Mustard card base in the A7 size. I adhered the ripped paper accent to the bottom of the card. With the scrap of green I cut a Sizzix Pine Small which I inked the edges with Always Artichoke ink pad. I then glued it in place ont the right hand side. I punched a 1 inch circle from Summer Sun card stock and adhered it on the left hand side. I then used the watercolor I had used this morning and painted with like colors to help it blend in the sky. I added 3 birds with my black Micron marker.

I put it to press for several hours. I gave it a white insert and a warm yellow envelope. I will see her tomorrow! Yeah!

Pastel Background into cards

I made this background the other day for a photo challenge because it was too cold to go outside and take a horizon photograph.

This is the first time I have used chalk pastels in recent years.  I quite enjoyed it.  They blend beautifully.

This piece was a half sheet measuring 5.5 inches T by 8.5 inches Wide.  I did have to spray it with fixative to ensure the pastels did not rub off.

I made 2 cards with this background.

For the one on the right I cut the background to 4.00 x 5.25 inches and adhered it to a white card with double sided tape.

I then cut a tree with the Sizzix Pine Tree small from black card stock and adhered it to the pastel layer with quick dry adhesive.

I applied a bit of pastel to the piece of brown card stock.  I ripped the top edge and trimmed it to the bottom of the background layer.  Before adhering it I crunched it up to give it texture to represent a rough and rock foreground.  It was adhered with double sided tape.

On this card and chose to you the background in the other orientation which makes it an abstract.

I cut the greeting in black with the Memory Box Thanks thinlit which adhered to strip of vellum. This was then adhered to the background with black eyelets inserted with my Crop a Dile.

I added the exclamation point by hand cutting it and adhering it with quick dry adhesive.

These are going to my sisters!