WATERCOLOR TRIO WORKSHOP CARD

Well, another long weekend has come and gone and the weather sure has turned a lot colder all of a sudden - went from 100 degrees and HOT to 70 and breezy.....so, a little bit chilly for the pool but we are hopeful we will get at least one more weekend out of it! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! We sure did, lots of family time, which is always good.  However, now I am behind and so I am scrambling to get caught up - I swear that is the story of my life, LOL! Lots of stamping, paper cutting, and ribbon tying going on around here!  I did want to share something crafty with you all today though so I this is one of the cards I did in a workshop a few weeks back. Now I know it is a little bit more than you see on an average workshop card, but this group was a bunch of seasoned stampers and scrappers and just new to me, not the craft so I wanted them to not be bored.  I think it was a good decision because they all loved it! The embossing was done on everyones except one - I always leave one and that one is randomly put into a kit and whoever gets the kit gets to try out the Big Shot, emboss their card stock and are the winners of a door prize! Makes it fun for everyone, lol!   Lots of layers but simple layers that came together quickly.  The color combination is Peach Parfait, Not Quite Navy, and Pear Pizzazz and not one I would have come to use on my own  BUT, I did consult my Color Coach for this one and I am lovin' the result!! I think everyone should have a Color Coach - even the most seasoned crafters can benefit from the fun and creative combinations that are listed on these cards! It is available in the catalog as well so get on over to my online store and order yourself one, you will be so happy to have it.  And, I paired these fabulous colors with the Watercolor Trio stamp set (sorry, it is gone now as it was in the Summer Mini) stamping the images in like colors, keeping the card bright and summery! I also used the fabulous background stamp called Pretty Patterns: it may be a little hard to see as I stamped it on the Peach Parfait in the same color, but it looks great IRL!  I like this card, it makes me happy! However, I did demo a card showing some techinques on how to "step it up" a bit, taking a very pretty card to a GORGEOUS card :-) 

Here is my sample with all the new techniques added!  As you can see, the basic layout of the card remains the same, but there are a few changes that really stand out! One is the image - instead of stamping in one color, I colored the image using my stampin' write markers that matched all that yummy card stock: doing this allowed the image to take on a more watercolored look AND makes it pop! I also used the Ticket Corner Punch on the card stock layers, adding some definition to each one. The main image is also sponged with Peach Parfait classic ink, while the outside card stock layer has faux stitching done with my mat pack and paper piercer. The Pear Pizzazz card stock is still embossed using the Elegant Lines embossing folder, but it has also been lightly rubbed with my Whisper White craft ink making the embossing really stand out!  Lastly, the sentiment is popped up on dimensionals and was inked around the edges with Not Quite Navy classic ink, adding some dimension and texture, which really catches the eye!  I enjoyed the extras added to this card, and I think it shows many ways to change a card a lot by doing really very little!  And, it is always fun to demostrate a card that you have done lots of fun techniques to - at least it does me, it makes me HAPPY!!! I hope you like my two different takes on my one card - it is probably the last summer card I will be doing for awhile! I have been knee deep in Halloween, fall, and Christmas already - YIKES!!!  Super fun stuff though - I will be sharing some really cute cards tomorrow made from products out of the new Holiday Mini! Thanks so much for stopping by, I am off to get some stamping done, WHOOOHOOO!
Card Recipe (stepped up version)
Paper - Peach Parfait, Not Quite Navy, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White card stock, Greenhouse Gala designer series paper
Inks - Peach Parfait, Not Quite Navy, Pear Pizzazz stampin' write markers and classic stampin' pads, white craft ink
Stamps - Pretty Patterns background stamp, Watercolor Trio (no longer available)
Tools - Big Shot, Elegant Lines embossing folder, mat pack, paper piercer, Designer Label Punch, Ticket Corner Punch, sponge
Accessories - Peach Parfait ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals