Kindness Changes Everything

Good day, fellow crafters. It's Tamara once again, with a new post where I am going be showcasing my latest card created using I Brake for Stamps and Blank Page Muse products! 

Koi fish are renowned for their vibrant colors and graceful movements, making them symbols of beauty and serenity in many cultures. Their scales display a dazzling array of colors, from shimmering golds and fiery reds to cool blues and tranquil whites, each with intricate patterns that captivate the eye. Incorporating a koi fish stamp into a greeting card layout brings this natural elegance to your design. The koi's flowing lines and dynamic shapes create a sense of movement and tranquility, making the card both visually stunning and emotionally soothing. Whether you use vivid inks to replicate the koi's natural splendor or more subdued tones for a minimalist effect, a koi fish stamp transforms any card into a work of art that conveys grace and harmony.

To create this project, you will need the following:

 I Brake for Stamps Koi Fish

 Blank Page Muse  Kindness Changes Everything words

stamp

 Black ink pad

 Cardstock – black

 Card base - white

 liquid glue

 paper trimmer

 watercolor paper

 Blue Raspberry kool-aid

 Watercolor pigments

 Liquid glue

 Paper trimmer

 Tub or tray for the kool-aid

 Paint brushes

 Cup of water for cleaning paint brushes

To craft your card, start by creating the background panel as this is the most time-consuming portion. First, mix the Blue Raspberry Kool-Aid per the package instructions minus the sugar in a tub or tray. Once incorporated fully, place a sheet of watercolor paper into the prepared liquid. Allow the paper to set for a full 24 hours to absorb the color and then allow it to dry fully naturally. A heat gun can be used to speed up the process but the color doesn’t seem to look as nice in the final product.

The next stage is to stamp your focal images. With black ink and using random placements, stamp multiple images of the Koi fish onto the background panel. The placements can even be offset if you wish as done in my card. The number of fish stamped is also totally up to your imagination.

Following the stamping of the images comes the addition of the color. For this project watercolors are suggested, however other media such as a quality colored pencil or an alcohol marker may be to your liking. The best technique to employ with the water coloring pigments is to wet small areas of the image at a time with water, and then drop small amounts of watercolor pigments into the wet area. Then slowly brush the pigment into the areas where color is wanted. If the color is to heavy, use a paper towel to dab up the excess. This technique allows you to slowly build up color and results in a better finish. Once the color addition is complete allow the paper to dry completely.

The next stage is assembly. Using a paper trimmer, trim your background panel to its final dimensions and then with slightly larger dimensions cut the black cardstock down for a mat. In the example, I chose to have those dimensions be large enough to cover the entirety of the front of my A2 card base. Next, using liquid glue, adhere the background panel and the mat together and then with more glue adhere the composite to the white card base.

Lastly, using black ink and the Kindness Changes Everything word stamp, ink and stamp the sentiment onto the card. With that, your card is complete.

The stamps I used can be found by following the links in the materials list or you can find them with a quick search on  www.ibrakeforstamps.com and www.blankpagemuse.com. 

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