Unity Green Color Challenge Card

Loved moving into yet another color realm with shades of green on this card! I was inspired by an ATC (Artist Trading Card) video which started the card with a pretty wet wash of watercolor. I decided I wanted to create a varied green watercolor paper with a white edge like the video!  In order to get varied colors I decided to use my Cotman watercolor half pan set which includes 4 greens. I also added a few yellow hues and a blue to enhance the variation in colors. I wet washed the watercolor paper and started adding colors. Once done I dried the paper using a hairdryer (yes, it works) ensuring to dry both from the back and front to maintain a flat shape. Like the video, I created my own edging with 2 lines using a Tombow dark green pen. Love how it turned out!

Time to turn to patterned paper to complement the watercolor paper. I also decided I wanted to add a flowered stamped image to the paper. Found a good background paper in an Authentique pad and a glossy accented green sheet I bought from Love from Lizi. I then looked to my archival inks to see what I could use on the watercolor paper, tested out a few on scrap paper and finally chose Library Green. I decided I probably needed to clear emboss the green ink to darken it.  I then looked at my Unity kits for flowers and decided to create my own bouquet using several kits.

I grabbed the Single Flower Miracle kit, the Wishing You Joy kit and the flower from the So Very Grateful kit. Wanting to make sure the bouquet would fit and not wanting to ruin my watercolor paper, I inked out a sample bouquet first on scrap paper and decided I liked the look. So, turning to my Misti, I carefully stamped and embossed each image at a time.  I had to mask off the bottom of the paper so I wouldn’t destroy the edge. I also turned around a few stamps to extend the stems to the edge. I was finally happy with that result.

Now the card challenge also promoted glamming up the cards with sparkles and glitter! How fun! So, I then pulled out 2 different shades of green glitter and a white sparkly glitter. Pulling out my coffee filters and glitter glue I decided to use all 3 colors in combinations on the flowers. I proceeded to do that 1 glitter at a time and added dots of glitter around the bouquet. I probably could have been more precise in the use of glitter, but I felt the paper and images wouldn’t be enhanced with precision.

Turning next to the sentiment, I stamped, embossed and die cut the sentiment on plain green paper. I then turned to assembling the card. I found a solid green paper to back the black patterned paper and mirrored white, green, and black backing on the sentiment. I pulled all the components together using Scotch running tape and foam tape. The card was completed by attaching a bow, sequins and green pearl dots.

It certainly is a vibrant sparkly card; was fun to create and allowed me to use both a new technique and one I use infrequently. Hope you enjoy this card, thanks for reading my blog and till next time... happy crafting!