Imagination Tree

Hi, everyone! How are you lovely ladies doing tonight? I'm still hangin' in there. My sweet hubby actually took the kids to school this morning and let me sleep in, and then brought me home a cafe mocha before he headed off to class. Is it any wonder I love that guy? I tell ya. ;o)

After I picked my two little guys up from school, I made some grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch, then headed upstairs to get some much-needed crafting done. Here's my card for today.


As I mentioned yesterday, I've been playing around with distress inks, and I really love the watercolor effect they give a project. It's taken me more than a few tries to get the result I was going for though. I think this one here was number seven or eight. It does take a little practice to get the hang of, but I think it's totally worth it.

The main technique to master with distress inks is to start applying the ink OFF the project and work onto it. If you don't, you get the dark impression of the applicator tool (in my case, round make up sponges) which is almost impossible to blend out. By cutting a piece of scrap paper into a rounded shape, I was able to apply the green color (Peeled Paint) to the center where I wanted it to show through the tree, then apply the blue (Broken China) all around the edges. I inked the stamp in Peeled Paint and Tea Dye, then spritzed it with a little water from my Mini Mister, and applied the watercolor paper directly over it, smoothing it out with my fingers to make sure I picked up the entire image. Then I dried it with my heat embossing tool.


I trimmed the image and mounted it on some brown Bazzill cardstock. I had planned to use a white card base, but it looked so drab, I decided to take the distress inks to it as well. On went more Broken China and Peeled Paint, which I lightly spritzed and dried to give it that speckled look.

All that remained to do was to add a layered prima flower with a button center and hemp tie, and to write a sentiment in my Signo broad white gel pen on a bit of scrap cardstock. I think it turned out pretty, don't you?

And that's going to close up this blog for tonight. Lady Antebellum is coming up on Idol (LOVE them!!!) and my boy Casey is currently in the bottom three. This is definitely going to require my undivided attention. ;o)

'Night, all!