Day 7 - Hello From The Desert!

So... here we are ... Day 7!  I'm finally getting a chance to use my Newton's Nook stamps, Newton Loves Coffee.  I have to admit I'm a bit intimidated when it comes to coloring... sometimes I do ok and sometimes not so much.  I don't know what my problem is... but I'm pretty happy with how these turned out! 

 

So let's talk about the background... I used watercolor paper and just splashed all the blues all over the place.  It's funny 'cause mom asks me, "How do I make a watercolor background?" and my oh so technical instructions are to just "smoosh the paint all over until you're kinda happy with it and then wait for it to dry and you'll love it"... so yeah... pretty much my style... I mean I'm no Monet or anything, but I think "smooshing" is a real artist/painter term.  And if it's not.. it is now!  So, I smooshed it and then I "splooshed" and "splattered" a bit more for good measure.  After the ages it took to dry, I stamped a few "splotches" and "splashes" onto the paint using the CTMH stamp Ink Blot.  Then I used Charming Cascades and some versamark to stamp the stars and emboss them.  First I did it and used just glitter embossing powder and then I did it again using the snowy glitter.  I think that's it... yeah... sounds about right.

 

Then I cut out a couple stitched hills with a die I got from 'Lil Inker and stamped my little Lawn Fawn Saguaro in the same dark blue.. 'cause it's nighttime.. right?

 

 

I cut my circle and added just a light watercolor to it to kind of ground. the center.  I stamped and die cut the adorable pots and cactuses (sneak peak alert-you'll be seeing more of this set in January) and Newton and took to my coloring.  I layered with different thicknesses of popup tape and then finished it all off with some great mesh glitter ribbon from Funkie Junkie, a piece of silver ribbon that came on something I bought recently, one of the cool punched snowflakes that came with my Funkie Junkie order (edged in the blue and then colored with my silver Wink of Stella), some sequins,  and the great sentiment (from My Favorite Things Hug In A Mug) banner.

 

 

Whew!  Now .. get your butt on over to the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop and Choux Choux Paper Arts and Check out the challenges I've been playing along with all week.    As you're reading this I just might be trying to hurry up and make a Friday project before I go to work!