Today, I had the joy of creating a delicate and artistic card featuring the beauty of watercoloring and the shimmer of embossing paste. With the Enduring Beauty masks as my guide, I let the colors blend and flow, bringing this card to life.
I began with a small sheet of watercolor paper, ensuring it was secured on my grid paper to prevent any shifting. The first mask was placed down, and using my thinner Water Painter, I gently added Fresh Freesia ink, watching as the soft hue settled into the paper. Next came the second mask with Soft Sea Foam ink, followed by a third with Highland Heather ink, creating a lovely balance of pastels. The final watercolor layer was applied using Lost Lagoon ink, grounding the composition with a soothing tone.
To add a touch of shimmer and texture, I turned to the fifth mask, applying a thin layer of Shimmery White Embossing Paste with a Palette Knife. This final step added a luminous quality that catches the light beautifully, elevating the entire design.
Once dry, this sweet art layer was matted onto Basic Black cardstock, which provided a striking contrast, making the soft colors pop. Using dimensionals, I adhered it to a Basic White card base, giving the design added depth. For the sentiment, I chose the elegant “Thinking of You” from the Greetings for All Mix & Match Ephemera Pack. The words, written in white with a black outline, coordinated perfectly with the matting and completed the card with a polished finish. Inside, a panel of Basic White was also framed with Basic Black, keeping the design cohesive.
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To share the process and techniques behind this card, I created a video showcasing the watercoloring and the magic of the embossing paste.
This card is being entered into several challenges: The Paper Players #728, which celebrates pastel color combinations; CAS on Friday #304 (highlighting watercoloring); Addicted to CAS #278, (Code Word Stencil); and AAA Cards #285 (an anything-goes challenge with an optional spring colors twist).
I loved creating this card and exploring the combination of soft watercoloring with shimmery texture. I hope it inspires you to bring out your stencils, watercolors, and embossing paste to create something beautiful today!
Measurements (in inches):
- Card Base (Basic White) – 11 x 4-1/4, scored at 5-1/2
- Art Piece 4-3/4 x 3-1/2
- Coordinating layer for around Art Piece (Basic Black) – 4-7/8 x 3-5/8
- Inside card – Basic White 3-3/4 x 5, coordinating cardstock (Basic Black) 5-1/8 x 3-7/8
Supplies Used to Create the Card:
So lovely, that extra layer of sparkly paste finishes off your card perfectly! Thanks for joining us at Addicted to CAS.
Thank you, Melanie, for your kind comments. I truly enjoy the challenges at Addicted to CAS and look forward to playing along again.
This is fabulous! I’ve used this set often but have never watercoloured it like this. What a gorgeous, soft effect! The addition of the paste is genius. I like the flower centres you’ve added too. Thank you for sharing with us at The Paper Players.
I’m so happy that you feel like you learned/saw something new to you! I bet that doesn’t happen very often, Jan, since you’re such a talented stamper. Thanks for your kind comments. I always love playing along with The Paper Players.
What a lovely card! You even made a video showing the technique you used! Thank you for joining us at CAS on Friday!
What kind comments, Ellen! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and leaving such nice comments. I look forward to playing along with you at CAS on Friday again soon!
Julia, I love those soft, subtle hues and the watercolor effect. The mat and the black sentiment add the perfect touch of contrast to your beautiful pastels. So glad you shared this with us at the Paper Players this week
Jaydee
Thanks, Jaydee, for your kind comments. Playing along with the Paper Players challenges are one of my favorite things. I’m looking forward to playing again soon.
Beautiful!! I love your watercolored flowers!! Thanks for joining the fun and playing along with our clean and simple “watercolor” challenge over at CAS on Friday!! Deb Horst, DT #304
Thank you so much, Deb! 😊 I had so much fun creating this card, and I’m thrilled to join the CAS on Friday challenge! I appreciate the kind words and all the inspiration from the Design Team! 💕🎨
What a great technique…I never thought of using watercolors on my stencils. I’d be afraid it would seep under the plastic! I’m going to have to try this now. Thanks for the inspiration! We love seeing your creations at AAA Cards, we hope to see more of it! Hugs! Kristin AAA Cards DT
Thank you so much, Kristin! 😊 I’m so happy to hear you’re feeling inspired to try watercoloring with stencils! You saw in the video how easy it was! I truly appreciate the warm welcome at AAA Cards and look forward to joining more challenges! 💕🎨