Do you like to color? I loved drawing in coloring books as a child – I find it soothing!

I was in one of those moods the other day when I created this card! I LOVE our Stampin’ Blends Alcohol Markers. They make shading and blending so darn easy!

Measurements:
BASE: Calypso Coral CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″, scrap for sentiment
matte
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″, scrap for
sentiment depending on choice of words
Artisan Sketched Garden DSP: one fussy
cut vase

Fussy Cut one of the vases from the DSP. Pick colors for the project and start to play with the Stampin’ Blends.

I usually color in the blooms with the Light Stampin’ Blend first then shade with the Dark and then go back over the whole bloom with the Light marker to blend.

In this photo I left the bottom middle and right bloom only colored with the Light marker, the middle row colored with the Light then shaded with the Dark, the bottom left bloom and the very top bloom are complete with the Light-Dark-Light technique.

Can you see the difference?

I colored in the greenery with The light and Dark Lemon Lime Twist.

I colored in the vase with the Light Pumpkin Pie Stampin’ Blends marker.

Here I shaded the vase drawing over the artisan’s vertical lines and shading the base also with the Dark Pumpkin Pie marker.

Then I blended all with the Light Pumpkin Pie marker going over the entire surface of the vase to rewet the ink and blend the Light and Dark so that the shading lines are softer!

I embossed the 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White layer with the Rustic Check 3D embossing folder.

I took the same colors I used in coloring the DSP to color the background in a diagonal pattern first coloring the diagonal opposite edges with Calypso Coral ink and a blending brush.

Then I added diagonal strips inside the Calypso Coral edging with Pumpkin Pie ink and a blending brush

I finished with a diagonal middle strip of Cherry Cobbler ink and a blending brush and adhered it to the Calypso Coral card base.

I placed the brush tip of the Calypso Coral Dark marker inside the cap and flicked the brush tip across the edge of the cap creating ink to spray/splatter onto the card base.

I popped up the colored DSP vase onto Stampin’ Dimensionals and added it to the top center of the card base.

Using a scrap of Basic White CS I stamped the “so grateful for you” sentiment from the Lily of the Valley stamp set in Cherry Cobbler ink and colored the scrap with the three Blending Brushes. I spalettered this layer also and added Stampin’ Dimensionals to the sentiment piece and added it to an appropriately sized matte in Calypso Coral CS. the matte and sentiment piece will vary sizewise depending upon the sentiment you choose.
Adhere the sentiment piece to the bottom center of the card front.

I added some gold embellishments to the card for a little extra sparkle and this colorful card is complete to send off and make someone’s day!

Now it’s your turn to make and send a card! That is the whole point to making cards – brightening someone else’s day as well as your own! Now it’s time to create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie