For Dad

My father just celebrated his 68th birthday.  He and his wife, Susan, are avid gardeners...you should see their yard!!  I used the "Homespun" stamp set to create this birthday card.  (It's hard to find a masculine card that's "garden-ish")  The background colors are Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla.  I ran the Vanilla through the Big Shot using the square lattice embossing folder.   This is one of my favorites to use because you actually get a totally different image on each side.   A little knot of Artichoke seam binding finished it off.  The idea for this card was not mine originally, I saw it on another demo's site (sorry, it was so long ago I forgot who)

close up of water-coloring

The artichoke was stamped in Stayz-On (always a go-to when water coloring, our basic black ink will run and take on a purple hue).  The image was then colored first with an aquapen and a retired ink Mellow Moss (sometimes you can't give up your favorites :0)I then used a blender pen with the same ink and colored in the darker sections.  I love how this gives it depth. Hope you like it!
Sharon G