{Spotlight Project} Maria Enjoys Embossing and Watercolors

It's so nice to be back home after being in MI for nearly three months helping out my folks. Wanna know what I missed most from my craft room? Heat embossing.

Today I'm pairing heat embossing with the still hot trend of watercolors. Why do they work so well together? Well that raised edge of the embossing works as a great barrier to keep you from getting (too) messy with your watercoloring. It can also help pool color there where you would expect shadows to be.

Here's my card:

STEP 1

I gathered my supplies - the frame and dogwood (which I chose to use as timeless apple blossoms) from Floral Bliss, Versamark, and Liquid Platinum embossing powder.

STEP 2

I stamped the frame in the center of a creme CS panel and heat embossed it.

STEP 3

Then I masked the frame and stamped the blooms, snuggled around the top left and lower right corners of the frame. I also removed the mask and stamped a sentiment inside the frame.

STEP 4

The fun started after I'd heat embossed the blooms and sentiment. I grabbed my watercolors and gave the inside of the frame a wash of soft pink. I gave the centers of the blooms a blotch of soft pink as well.

STEP 5

Two tips for you. First, I tipped the panel up when the inside of the frame was complete to let the watercolor run to the bottom. Notice how it's a bit darker down there. The raised embossing keeps the color from running outside of the frame. And I knew I wanted an extremely soft watercolor look. To keep my blooms' center blotches soft, I took my handy TP roll and dabbed them to absorb excess color/water.

STEP 6

I hit the bloom centers with a touch of crimson too. Then I decided I needed a bit of a contrasting color so I watercolored the frame with aqua. And to bring in more aqua I opted for a strip of PP along the top. But, alas, which PP? Here's another tip for you. I have this frame cut from an old cereal box and I use it when testing PP choices. Helps me stay focused!

I was going for a timeless, clean feel. When I chose that damask PP it somehow reminded me of old wallpaper so I tore it to give a vintage touch. Another tip... spritz the PP lightly before tearing for a softer edge. And also, when you tear, the edge of the paper you pull towards you will look like mine does. The other torn edge will have the core (often white) of the paper exposed. Which you choose to use depends on the the look you want!

Hope you enjoyed today's card. I'd love to hear if you're as enthralled with heat embossing as I am.

Tschüss,
Maria

Products Maria used in today's project:

    

Floral Bliss (August/September 2015) is one of several premium 5x7 sets offered in the STAMPlorations stamp club! We've got lots of perks, including free worldwide shipping, a free 4" by 6" stamp set sent every 3rd shipment (or immediately after signing up for the semi-annual subscription), 2 personal discount coupon codes, and choice of 2 ARTplorations stencils ($10 value) in every stamp club package mailed out to subscribers! For more info and to sign up, click here.

Prize alert! Leave a comment in this post for an entry to our Spotlight Projects random drawing for September. We'll pick ONE (1) commenter to win a $10 gift certificate or her choice of 1 ARTplorations stencil. We'll announce the winner by October 10.