Stick With It and With Me

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! 

 

Life can sometimes feel like a desert cactus, with its twists and unexpected

turns. Just as a cactus thrives in harsh conditions, we too can endure and grow

through life's challenges. Our mental health may waver, feeling off-kilter or

crooked, but it's during these times that support becomes essential. The

sentiment "Stick with Me" echoes the resilience of the cactus, reminding us

that companionship and perseverance can help us weather any storm. Just as

the cactus stands tall despite adversity, we too can find strength in sticking

together and supporting one another through life's unpredictable journey.

To create this project, you will need the following:

 Blank Page Muse Southwestern Desert Cactus Flowers and Skull Scene

– Pam Bray Designs

 Blank Page Muse Stick with me Words Art- Pam Bray Designs

 Black ink pad

 Cardstock – black

 Liquid glue

 Paper trimmer

 Coffee

 Tub large enough to fit watercolor paper

 Watercolor paper

 Watercolor pigments

 Paint brushes

 Cup of water for cleaning paint brushes

 A2 card base – white (4.25” x 5.5”)

To craft your card, start by creating the background panel as this is the most

time-consuming portion. First, brew the coffee per the package instructions

and allow it to cool. Next, pour the coffee into the tub and place a sheet of

watercolor paper into the prepared liquid. Allow the paper to rest 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. Using black ink and the

Southwestern Desert Cactus Flower and Skull Scene stamp, ink and then

stamp the image in the location of the watercolor paper where the color looks

the most pleasing to your eye. Allow the ink to dry.

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 too 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.

For the next step you need to cut your paper to size. Using a paper trimmer,

first trim your water-colored background panel to its final dimensions. I have

purposely made the dimensions smaller than the A2 card base to provide

some visual interest. Next trim the black cardstock to 4.25” x 5.5”, this is to

cover the front of the card base.

The next stage is assembly. Using liquid glue, adhere the black card stock to

the card base. Next, adhere the background panel with more glue. As part of

the design theme the background panel is angled purposefully.

Lastly, using black ink and the  Stick with me Words Art, ink and stamp the

sentiment onto the card. Again, for the theme of the card this was done a

slight angle. With that, your card is complete.

If you or someone you know is suffering from issues related to mental health

and needs help, then call the National Mental Health Hotline 24 hours a day at

1-866-903-3787. It is free and confidential.

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.blankpagemuse.com. Visit our

social media sites for more stamping fun!

I Brake For Stamps - https://ibrakeforstamps.com/ 

The Blank Page Muse- https://blankpagemuse.com/

FB Fan Page-  https://www.facebook.com/groups/blankpagemuse/

Instagram Shop-  https://www.instagram.com/blankpagemuse/

Instagram Blog-  https://www.instagram.com/blankpagemuseblog/

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Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/blankpagemuse/boards/