Paradise

Paradise...I could use a little time on the beach this week!  It's been freezing here in New England, with temps down close to zero for days and days.  Brrrr...I'm ready for warmer weather!  And sunshine!  Is hibernation an ok thing for humans?  I'd like to get in on that deal...

Well I'll have to settle for cards featuring beach scenes for now.  Cards!  I've missed spending some time making cards and last night I finally had some free time to just create...just for fun.  Sweet 'n Sassy is featuring today's sketch challenge on Splitcoast and I just loved the sketch...Hello?  Banners?  Why yes, I'd love to play along!  I'm in love with banners lately!

I grabbed some summery feeling paper from My Minds Eye and my Ocean Paradise stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy and got crafty!  I started by cutting all of my cardstock.  This is what I love about sketches; I can cut all of the cardstock and have it ready to assemble when I'm finished with the main image panel...perfect!  I then stamped my beach scene, using black Memento Ink, and then grabbed my Distress Markers...'cause summer just seems to go with watercoloring, right?

To color the image, I first scribbled with my markers onto a non-stick craft sheet and then used a watercolor brush to pick up the color and apply it to the image.  This is my preferred watercolor method when using the markers as I feel like they don't bleed enough when you apply the color first to the paper and then try to blend with the brush.

Then I assembled and added a few tiny gold pearls...Easy peasy and oh so beachy!

Enjoy and why not try out today's sketch challenge...