The Evolution of a Card

Hi Everyone!!  I wanted to show you how this card evolved from one idea to something entirely different.  I think it probably happens to all of us!!
When I go to my craft room I always bring my iPhone or iPad with me.  Just in case I get a blog-worthy idea and I can document it, 9 times out of 10, it isn't blog-worthy, lol!!  Although, I really need to start posting more...even the fails!!  Well, I guess you can say this card started out as a fail...

I apologize in advance for the numerous photos..

So, it started with a background cling stamp from Impression Obsession called Leaf Flourishes (linked to Simon Says Stamp). I hadn't used it yet and thought I would pull it out.  I also knew I wanted to do some sort of watercoloring.  I heat embossed the image with clear embossing powder on to watercolour cardstock...mistake #1.  The image was almost impossible to make out, but I tried anyway.

I painted as many leaves as I could spot but just wasn't happy with the results (there are quite a few flourishes on the stamp as well, so there was a lot of unpainted area).  I took out some Worn Lipstick Distress Ink, and sponged the entire thing. Then I thought it needed some Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink...oh my, mistake #2.

Yup! There it is! It would've made a lovely sofa pattern in the 80's, don't you think?  So, here is where  my brain started working.  Let's try to freehand watercolour before stamping a floral image.  I got out the Doodlie-Do Stamp set from PaperTrey Ink and chose a stamp.  I started to watercolor behind the stamp, trying to put a specific color in the right spot i.e.: red for flowers, green for stems/leaves.

When I was done, I placed the stamp over top and....it didn't line up.  I know its a loose-goosey type of card but I really didn't like it.

I thought I could take some of the separate images from the set and stamp them over each part of the watercolour.  But as I took a close look at what I had created, I decided to Stop Right There!!  This was my very first freehand watercolour!!!  I knew if I stamped over it, it would be ruined.  So, I ended up adding a few splotches of color to each part and...stopped.

To finish things off, I used a Stitched Square Die from Simon Says Stamp to cut out my "flowers".  I misted it lightly with some Perfect Pearls (in the shade Perfect Pearl) mixed with water to give it a wee bit of glimmer.

I used my scoring board to score some lines around the edge of the card base (1/4" around all sides).  I really wanted to keep this as clean and simple as I could, which is rather difficult for me!!  I thought about tying some black ribbon around the card but the only ribbon I has was rather thick, so I skipped it!!  I stamped the sentiment, also from the Doodlie-Do stamp set, added a few Sparkling Clear sequins and called it done!!

 Sorry this post was rather long, but I really wanted to show you how my thought process works sometimes!!

Hope you enjoyed!!  Until next time...Stay Crafty!!

Laurie

PS:  I did not throw away the 80's sofa panel...will try to do something with it :)