Pink Chocolate Lillies....

Sorry about the dead blog this week. On the days that I've not been called into work,  I've been trying to catch up with 6+ weeks of neglected housework.  Let's just say that it has not been real fun to discover that bathrooms can get cob webs in the corners!! YIKES!!

Ok...now to catch up on the creative end!!  There are some exciting things happening with Just For Fun® this week. First, we would like to announce and welcome a new designer to the team . . . Kat Tucker! Kat is

one of those designers that makes my jaw hit the ground!!  I just can't wait to give some of her projects a try!!  Please make sure you drop by Kat's blog and give her a big ol' FUN welcome!

Another exciting event is the launching of the new Just For Fun® Blog! You’ll be able to find albums for all the designers on the right hand side where you can view all their designs in one place. You’ll want to check out the new Designer page where you can read more about your favorite designers and get to know them better too!!

Saving the best for last . . . . we are announcing a new weekly color challenge . . . Just For Fun® Fridays. Each Friday there will be a new color challenge posted on the Just For Fun® Blog and samples will be posted on each Designer’s blog. (yes!! This means that I will be posting at LEAST once a week now!! BWHHAAAA!!)  We are inviting you to play along with us and want to see your creative works too!!  There will be a Mr. Linky at the end of each Friday’s post for you to link to your own card.

This week Sherry challenged the team to use Pink, Green and Brown.  AAAACCCCKKKK!! There is that PINK color that I don't know how to use!!  I guess that is why it is called a CHALLENGE, huh?!! So to add to the already HUMONGOUS challenge of using pink, I gave myself another added challenge:  to pull out an old technique that I haven't used in a while.  Well, let me tell you!! I went back 20+ years for this one, peoples!! The added challenge:  Watercoloring!!

Now, way back in my entry into the collage world, I thought that I  wanted to be an art major.  Until I realized that while I do have some God given artistic talent, it is NOT the level of talent one needs in order to make a living using said talent.  But before reality hit, I did take a watercoloring class.  A BEGINNER watercoloring class.  Brushing aside all the cobwebs of my watercoloring abilities, I came up with this card:
 

 Not too shabby for being incredibly rusty at this technique! LOL!!  You'll have to look past the incorrect "shading" as I had more than one blooper in not remembering that the light spaces have to start out light and stay that way!!

I stamped the Lily onto some 140# cold press watercolor paper with Archival Jet black ink.  Using the YUMMY new distress reinkers in Spun Sugar, Vicorian Velvet, Crushed Olive as well as Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters, I watercolored the image using a small brush.  I then had to meticulously cut out the image as it would seem that I was having some problems staying in the lines and remembering that that my hand dragging across the still wet image would leave smudges (OI!! I told you it had been a while!! LOL!).  I then made my own background paper by taking another piece of the watercolor paper and spritizing Tattered Angels Glimmer mist in Cherub Pink in various spots.  I then took my Distress Shabby Shutters ink pad and swiped it across my craft mat in "blotches" and spritzed with water to have it bead up.  I then put my watercolor paper down in the beaded ink and used a large watercolor brush to blend the edges.  I then spritzed the entire sheet with Tattered Angels Glimmer mist in Pearl (perhaps my favorite color!!) and let it dry.  I stamped the Background block script with Victorian Velvet and randomly stamped portions of it along the page.  I cut the background to be slightly smaller than my 6x6" base of DCW's (Natural stack) shimmer chocolate.  I punched out the "lace" using one of Martha Stewart's punches (sorry, don't recall the name!!) from a strip of the left over background paper.  The scalloped oval was die cut using my Spellbinder Scalloped ovals and classic ovals and adhered with glue dots.  The lillies were then adhered over the scalloped frame using dimensionals.  Tied the ribbon around the frame and called 'er done!! Supplies:  Paper:  140# cold press watercolor, DCWV natural cardstock stack.  Inks:  Archival Jet Black, distress reinkers/inks in Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet, Crushed Olive, Shabby Shutter, Peeled Paint.  Accessories:  glue dots, Spellbinder Scalloped ovals and classic ovals, Sizzix Big Shot, glue dots, dimensionals, ribbon, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Cherub Pink and Pearl. 

Make sure you check out all the other designer's projects (I know I will be!!  I need to see how other's use PINK hehe!!)

Broni Holcombe

Sherry Cheever

Heidi Blankenship

Kat Tucker

Linda Duke

Sandy Sandrus

and

Terre Fry

AND!! Don't forget to visit the Just For Fun® Blog and post your PINK, green and brown project!!

 Thanks for dropping by again today!!  I hope that you'll join us every Friday for another color challenge!! Use it as an excuse as to why you have to stamp over the weekend!! BWHHAAAA!! 

Till next time!