Today, I decided to embrace my creative side and get a little messy – in the best possible way! I've always loved the soft, dreamy look of watercolors, but sometimes I just don't have the time (or the patience!) for a full-on painting session. That's where faux watercolor techniques come in handy, and I just finished a beautiful 5-inch square floral card featuring lovely roses and birds that I can't wait to share with you.I started with a simple white card base, measuring 5 inches by 5 inches. To add an immediate touch of elegance and detail, I applied some gorgeous Flower Collage Washi Tape along all the edges. Washi tape is such a quick and easy way to elevate any paper craft project, and this particular design perfectly complemented the floral theme I had in mind. On top of that I added a colored cardstock square that slightly overlaps the inside edges of the washi tape. This gives the illusion that my border is actually an entire piece of cardstock.
Next up was creating that watercolor look without the fuss. I took a piece of watercolor paper that was slightly smaller than the colored square and stamped it with a flower stamp. Even though the stamp was quite big, I only used a small portion of it, strategically stamping just along the edges. This created a lovely floral border, leaving the middle of the card open.
To create the watercolor look, I used pink oxide ink. The key here is to water it down significantly. I just added a few drops of water to a small pool of ink, mixing it until it reached a consistency similar to actual watercolor paint. Then, I loosely applied this diluted ink directly onto the flower areas of my stamped image. The goal isn't perfection; it's to get that soft, diffused look that watercolors are known for.
I always find that when I'm working with diluted ink, I tend to have a little left over. Instead of letting it go to waste, I decided to splatter some of it all over the panel. This created tiny, delicate flecks that mimic the natural unpredictability of watercolors. It's a fantastic way to fill in some of the white space and tie the whole design together.
After creating the beautiful faux watercolor panel, it was time to bring in the sentiment and some delightful embellishments to really make the card pop!
I started by cutting out a scalloped oval from cardstock that perfectly matched the tones of the card. To give it an extra touch of elegance, I then cut another, slightly smaller scalloped oval from creamy shimmer cardstock. This layering adds such a nice depth to the sentiment area.
Next, I stamped my chosen sentiment onto the creamy oval. To complement the bird and floral theme, I chose a charming Robin Brad and a Bluebird Brad, along with a lovely Pink Rose Brad. Brads are fantastic for adding dimension and a bit of shine!
To fill in any blank spaces and introduce even more sparkle, I placed three Glitter Enamel Dots in shades of pink, red, and silver. These little details catch the light beautifully and tie all the elements together.
Once all the embellishments were in place, I applied foam tape to the back of creamy oval. This lifted it slightly, creating a wonderful shadow effect when adhered to the larger scalloped oval. Finally, I glued this entire layered, embellished piece onto the center of my watercolor panel.
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