Thank You Roses Card

When I first saw this rose stamp from Penny Black, I thought it was stunning....still do!  I have seen it colored in various mediums, and myriads of colors, and I have loved it every time.  So for a very special thank you card today, I thought of it immediately......

The rose image, as I mentioned, is a Penny Black slapstick cling stamp - Scented beauty # 40-428.  The other images on the background are also Penny Black - Swirls 40-282, Letter background 1999L, and the verse is from the clear Gratitude set - 30-105.

I stamped the rose using distress inks in abandoned coral, candied apple, and fired brick, with squeezed lemonade, crushed olive, forest moss for the leaves.  I used my Misti, and stamped one area at a time.  I colored a rose, for example, with abandoned coral, then misted the stamp with water, and stamped it onto watercolor paper.  Keeping the paper and stamp on the Misti, I use a watercolor brush to paint in the inside areas of the rose, then without reinking the stamp, I stamped it again, thereby bringing back the details.  I then cleaned off the stamp, and added a darker color, candied apple, and stamped again, this time using my brush to shade a little, more; finally the third stamping was with fired brick, watercolor lightly, and let dry.  I cleaned off the stamp, inked it with abandoned coral again, and stamped over the rose a final time, bring back many of the details.  I repeated this technique with the other rose, and the leaves.

For the background, I used masks over the flowers and leaves, then added salty ocean distress ink with my Clarity brushes.  Using the salty ocean and ground espresso for the background stamps, I added the final touches, along with some spatters, flicking with my watercolor brush.  

Close up of detail

The thank you was stamped with rich cocoa Memento ink.  I layered the panel with some coral card stock to match the roses, then the panel, and finally a strip of lace and some pearls.

Before I called it finished, I decided the roses did not have enough contrast for the shading, so used my polychromos colored pencils to add some deeper color to the shaded areas.  Then I used my battery operated eraser to take bring back some highlights on some of the petals.  Oh, almost forgot.... I added some dew drops on a couple of the petals and one of the leaves with Glossy Accents.

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Nature

Penny Black at Allsorts - Add a sentiment

Addicted To Stamps Challenge - Your favorite embellishment

We are having the most glorious weather, just perfect.  It's sunny and warmish, and the evenings cool down significantly, making it great sleeping weather.  So, now out for a walk along the river before making dinner.  I hope you can take some time to enjoy your evening, whatever the weather is where you live.

Thank you for visiting.

Blessings,

lynda