Lovely Reflections

Tonight's card is yet another card project from the Clearly Delightful Acetate Techniques class. This was the sample for the Reflection technique. I love how this card turned out! I used my stampin' write markers first to color in the "above water" image, and then to create a palette so that I could use the same colors with an aquapainter to create the softer "underwater" colors. After both images were colored I sponged on a couple of different shades of blue over the reflection to simulate the look of water, which further muted the colors on the "underwater" image. The resulting image really looks just like a reflection. I tell you, this is as close to being an artist as I'll ever get!

At first I was so enamored with my artwork that I just attached the matted image to the card front and left it, not wanting to do anything to take the focus off the main image. But when I took a photo of the card I realized it still needed something. It took me a while to come up with the perfect additions. Finally I settled on the picture hanging thingie (yes, I believe that it the technical term) from my hodgepodge hardware kit along with some light blue and caramel gingham ribbons. I also stamped the sentiment from the Summer by the Sea set in the lower right hand corner in close to cocoa ink, so that it would be visible but not too distracting. I wanted this card to be usable for many occasions, so the"joy is not in things, it is in us" sentiment worked out quite nicely.

The stamp set I used for this card, Summer by the Sea, is on the Stampin' Up! dormant list (you can see the images from the whole set on page 14 of the dormant list), so you will not find it in the current catalog. However, it is available for purchase for just $28.95.