More Than Words Mini Challenge, January 2017

Hi everyone! Melissa here with a card that I enjoyed making, I went through almost all my stash looking for Valentine's Day related items, and that was fun!

 I put texture paste on Moulin du Roy watercolor paper(I got it on clearance at Hobby Lobby) with a stencil by TCW called "Cherry Blossoms". I painted the card first pink with Lindys Rambling Rose, then green,then brown, with Winton and Newton waterclors. I dried with a heat gun between layers. I sponged on  Prima Heavy White Gesso. 

I pretty much put the embellies on last. I painted around the flowers to shade them, to have some more contrast. I used Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils in bark, and leaf green. I also use Tim Holtz distress ink in green,Peeled Paint,which colored the paper the best.  I've also used Winton and Newton watercolors around the flowers, and for the brown layer on the card.

You can see I hand stitched around the edges, I used embroidery floss.

The crinkle ribbon is from Tim Holtz, I colored it with Lindy's Rambling Rose. I really like that color because it's a warm peachy pink. 

I put tiny pieces of cosmetic sponge at the base of some of the layers of these Prima Sweet Peppermint flowers, to make the petals stand up. I glued them in with glossy accents.

The xo and love die cuts came in a set that was $1,it was $8,another lucky buy.  Bear in mind I've bought lots of dies at good prices, that I haven't used, so, it's not like I come out ahead! The tiny rhinestones are part of a chain of them that my son's girlfriend gave me. They came unglued from a headband she has, she thought I might be able to use them.  The hummingbird is from an old calendar from my sister in law, I've used them in several projects.

I fussy cut the cherub from a greeting card.

I've had the pendant blank thing that's underneath the flower for a long time, so I was glad to finally use it.  I had glued a little piece of scrapbook paper on it.

I got a new camera for Christmas, so I'm pretty excited what a good job it does, that's why I have so many photos in different kinds of light. And, I like the card, and I had given up on it before I put the white gesso on.  I was going to start over.

The last two photos I put the card on the ground in full sunlight, and created a shadow with my legs.  The light was the strongest with these two.

You're probably exhausted after reading all this.  Take care, and have a great week!

More Than Words January Main Challenge, Celebrate & Bling

Hi everyone! Melissa here with a page for the January More Than Words Challenge.  I chose these two photos of my son, because they celebrate the joy of having fun! They were taken years ago  in front of my husband's childhood home, in beautiful Northport, New York. It's always exciting to go there in the summer because we can see family, enjoy the beauty of the area, and escape the Houston heat.

For the bling I've used mica flakes, gold mica powder, micro beads,copper wire,and a couple druzy style beads. I also used a Tim Holtz clock face,ornate plate,key, and some Ranger clear crackle. The green watercolor paint is Shimmers by Tattered Angels. The Prima flower in the middle has some chunky clear glitter on it, although it's hard to see in the photo.

The background paper is My Mind's Eye, Lost and Found, Market Street. Almost all the cut up pieces are tags from a sheet of baseball Paper House paper. Along with soccer, Nick played baseball for several years. There's also some ppr. with distressed edges from Bo Bunny. The flowers are Prima, from Engraver, and Coventry Roses,the leaves are also Prima.

I extended some of the tree branches with a bark color Inktense watercolor pencil, I also used it for all the shading on the page, I softened the pencil lines by brushing on some water.

I used Prima heavy Gesso to form a base so paint wouldn't soak into the paper, and also to tone down some of the detail and color of the page.

I used a lot of gold mica powder.

Thank you so much for looking! I hope you have a wonderful year, filled with all the things you love.

This page is for the following challenge:

January 2017 Main Challenge, Celebrate and Bling