RAINBOW SPLASH

Recently, in getting ready to plan the projects for my upcoming August Stamp-In Workshop, I had it in my head that I wanted to create a card using the Stampin' Up! butterfly punches, coordinating "watercolor-y" splashes of color, the new stamp set, Playful Backgrounds (page 121) I'd gotten, and incorporating a resist.

Initially, I rubbed my piece of Whisper White cardstock well with my Embossing Buddy, followed by inking up the open bubbles from the stamp set with VersaMark ink, and embossing them using Clear Embossing Powder.

My first attempt involved sponging the proper colored inks in a swath across the embossed circles. Very unpleasing result. Next try, I used the Aqua Painter and the colors once again. Nearly as disappointing.

ROYGBIV. ROYGBIV. ROYGBIV.

The third try turned out to be a winner. But, messy and unpredictable. Something I always sense that the girls at my workshops get frustrated with.

For this try, I wetted down a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of 140-pound coldpress watercolor paper well with water. (Using this size, I still thought it could be used as a traditional A2 sized card.) Then, utilizing the Aqua Painter once again with the reinkers, I dropped color along the rainbow spectrum. A desperate need to work quickly minimizes the dark splotches of color you can get otherwise.

I then punched out each of the two sizes of butterfly in every color: Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Garden Green, Marina Mist, Pacific Point and Elegant Eggplant.

After gluing the butterflies together and in place along the colors, I added Basic Pearls to each of the butterfly bodies. Once the glue set, I tilted the wings of both butterflies slightly upwards to mimic flight and motion.

At this point, I felt there had been too much time, care and dimension in the piece to become a mere card that the recipient may just throw in the trash. G. A. S. P. ! !

So . . . 

After matting it with thin edges of Daffodil Delight and Pacific Point cardstock, the size had swelled to 6" x 4 3/4". The obvious choice from here was to mount it onto an 8" x 10" piece of the same watercolor paper. 

Since 8" x 10" is a standard size for a framed piece, I plan to find the perfect frame for it and nestle my butterflies within, but, of course, without glass. Unless I am able to search out the perfect shadowbox frame that would enable it to be covered with glass that rises above the artwork so the wings can stay unfurled.

Wish me luck on this final step!

Rainbow

Smiles.