Hello Friends!! It’s Sunday and that means another fun challenge!! Last week’s color challenge was awesome, a big thank you to Joanne for the awesome colours! It’s Nance’s turn to host this week and she has come up with another great idea…

I have to let you in on a secret….I have NEVER water colored before. EVER. … Really. I don’t even remember doing it as a kid. It was just never my thing. So here I am, guest designer for a challenge using a medium I have absolutely NO experience with! Eek!! Nothing like a little pressure, right? lol

So, drum roll please…(I’m closing my eyes right now, hoping you’ll like it)

Ta Da!! Eek…I hope you like it! It’s watercolor but with baby steps 🙂

I sponged two different colors of distress ink over my top layer and then flicked water all over the paper and let it dry. I like the effect, it’s subtle because my coloring is subtle, but it’s there. Then I inked up with Versamark Ink and stamped and heat embossed the butterfly. Next, I inked up some clear blocks with distress ink in the same colors I used for the background and started water coloring.

I applied a bit of water to the spots on his wings and then added ink until I was satisfied. I then ran the paint brush (with ink) over all the lines in the wings and body to draw them out and used water and ink all around the edges of the butterfly, adding water and/or ink to the design until I achieved a color I was happy with. Once he was dry, I ran him through the big shot with his coordinating die and popped him up on Stampin’ Dimensionals.

A quick sentiment, some thick baker’s twine (I separated a few of the layers out of the twine to make it thinner), and a few Moonstones by Simon Says Stamp and it’s all ready to go!

So f you’ve ever thought that water coloring is not for you, I hope I may have inspired you to give it a go. I used two colors of distress ink, some water color paper I’ve had forever, and an inexpensive paint brush, you know the 10 for $1 kind of brush? Yep, that’s what I used. I definitely plan on experimenting a bit more with this, by the end I was having fun!!

I would love to hear from you if you do decide to try water coloring!! And for those experienced with water color, please be gentle with me! Thank you!!

A note on this lovely stamp and die set. It’s called Flight of Fancy and made by Clearly Besotted Stamps, BUT…they have discontinued it (insert pouty face here). It isn’t available on their web site anymore. I found it by luck at Ellen Hutson but in just checking now, it is out of stock there as well. I’m sad because it’s such a beautiful design, hopefully it is still available out there somewhere, if not, I’m sure you could re-create this card using another stamp and die. Heaven knows there are many out there to choose from!!

Please visit the rest of the design team to get some great inspiration!!

The Paper Players Design Team

Wishing you joy and blessings!

Products Used:

Cardstock: Vintage Cream by Papertrey Ink; unknown brand of Watercolor Paper

Pattern Paper: Unknown (I forgot to look!!)

Ink: Broken China and Bundled Sage Tim Holtz Distress Inks; Tuxedo Black by Memento Ink

Stamps:  Flight of Fancy by Clearly Besotted Stamps; Journaling by Simple Stories

Dies: Flight of Fancy by Clearly Besotted Stamps; Stitched Mats: Rounded Rectangles by Lil ‘Inker; and Envelope Liner Die by Stampin’ Up!

Tools:  MISTI by My Sweet Petunia (for the sentiment); White Embossing Powder, Embossing Buddy and Heat Tool by Stampin’ Up!; Mister, Fine Tip Paintbrush

Embellishments: Assorted Moonshine Sequins by Simon Says Stamp; Thick Baker’s Twine in Pistachio Pudding by Stampin’ Up!