Water Colored Dahlia Garden

Hello my crafty and creative friends!

Today I'm sharing a few cards here at my blog...
Similar...but different..

each heat embossed....water colored...and created 

with the (gorgeous) DAHLIA GARDEN BACKGROUND stamp from The Ton Stamps.

After stamping the images with VERSAMARK INK

I heat embossed each image with Sparkle n Sprinkle's 

FINE DETAIL GOLD EMBOSSING POWDER

I chose an assortment of ALTENEW INK PADS for water coloring...

painting the images with traditional paint brushes.

After the images were water colored

I die cut the center of each image...

Chose card stock matting colors

and sentiments from the PENNED SENTIMENTS 

and ANEMONE WISHES stamp sets.

(Both...also from The Ton Stamps)

I then matted each of the water colored pieces...and the 3 sentiments.

I positioned the center piece of each Dahlia image with fun foam, for added dimension.

To finish each card, I placed the sentiments 

in the lower right corner of each card.

I am a lover of using metallic embossing powder 

to heat emboss images that I will be water coloring.

I  love the look...the shimmer...and the contrast of the shining embossing

against the matte look of the water coloring.

So now...

I've got a few photos to share...

The larger-than-card-front-sized Dahlia Garden stamp

is really my kinda stamp!
(If you follow my blog you  already know that big floral images are a fave of mine)

Water coloring this image was lots of fun.

The large image offers lots of opportunity to blend and mix colors

to create a collection of compatible and beautiful colors.

Look at that gold shine!

Thank you fine detail gold embossing powder!

You never fail me!

The color palette that I chose for the second card

is similar to the palette of the first card (above)....

Pink tones...

but this time...with the inclusion of a lavender...and a purple bloom.

   

Dark purple metallic card stock was ideal, I think..

for the first card...

and this card as well.

and...

here's the beautiful gold heat embossing again,

What a great way to bring attention to the details of this stamped image.

For the third and final Dahlia Garden card

I chose to create a pink...rose...coral and yellow color palette.

I chose a deep coral card stock for matting

After creating two cards in the pink/purple family...

It was nice to switch gears with the ink colors used to watercolor this card.

A nice view of the matting...water coloring....image details...

sentiment and shine from the gold heat embossing 

on this coral toned version of Dahlia Garden.

When I'm in my studio...

creating cards like the cards that I've shared today

I am in my truest of happy places.

To create color...blend color...

and to watch the magic of  ink and water interacting

always brings me enormous happiness...peace...and lots of joy.

(Confession: If I had my way...

I'd create cards with images like Dahlia Garden...every day.)

Thanks so much for visiting today...
I hope that you've found a little bit of inspiration here at my blog today.

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Michelle.