I'm a Guest Stamper for Stampin' Pretty!

As I write this post we are in the middle of a blizzard in Colorado and I know it is pretty, but...

I am a warm weather beach girl and I was inspired by this bloom from our yard last summer to make today's card.

I am also pleased to be this week's guest stamper on Stampin' Pretty, the amazing blog of my incredible upline, Mary Fish! So here is how I made my card. I first did the Bokeh technique by watercoloring Stampin' Up! inks onto watercolor paper. (I wet the watercolor paper with a paintbrush, then using my aqua painters, I grabbed ink from my ink pads and just "blotched" the different colors around until the paper was covered. After the paper dried, I sponged white ink through a mask I made by punching different sized circle punches on a sheet of acetate. Next, I stamped and embossed my Blended Bloom stamp with white ink (and clear embossing powder) on whisper white cardstock, Then I sponged Daffodil Delight, Basic Gray, Blushing Bride, Rose Red and Melon Mambo inks onto the flower with sponges, and afterwards rubbed the excess off with a tissue. This technique is called emboss resist. I made two of the same flower so I could cut and layer and curl and fuss until I had a more dimensional flower. I used Basic Gray ink to stamp the sentiment from the current Sale a Bration Best Day Ever stamp set (I love this set!). Then I sponged Basic Gray ink on my white SU organza ribbon to get a perfect match to the cardstock and ink in the center of the flower. I roughed up the edges of the watercolor paper to keep the "natural" feel of the card. Then, I added some tiny rhinestones for sparkle! Inside I stamped my daughter's birthdate (with my Alphabet Rotary Stamp) and the Best Day Ever stamp. I will give the card to her for her upcoming birthday. Everything I used here is Stampin' Up! This card makes me feel like it is at least April or May already! Thanks for taking a look! Thank you Mary, for allowing me to be your guest stamper today!

Best. Daughter. Ever.