Watercolored Rose Wonder

When I started this card I wasn't sure how it would turn out, I had a plan...don't I always... but sometimes my plans work better in my head then on paper.  However this was not one of those times.  It worked beautifully and I couldn't be happier with the results!  I sent this off to my friend in California, I had a really hard time letting it go, and if I didn't think it was going to a good home I probably wouldn't have sent it.  But I know it's treasured at it's new home.  But I think I'll make more of these cards.  They're so beautiful!  So how did I get this look????

This card was full of experiments lol!  I started with Shimmery White paper.  You definitely don't want to use our Whisper White for this card, you really need a thicker cardstock that can handle water.  Like I said I used Shimmery White, the thick white would also probably work, really though watercolor paper is ideal for this.  I started by embossing the rose image with white embossing powder.  Make sure you emboss, the embossing powder makes little 'wells' to watercolor in.  Though I did go out of the lines in some spots.  I grabbed my aqua painter and a few markers for the leaves I worked with Old Olive and Garden Green for the rose I used Blushing Bride, Melon Mambo and Rose Red.  Working with one section at a time, I started with my lightest color and colored the entire section, then used the darker colors and colored where I thought highlights should be.  Then I immediately used my aqua painter and added lots of water and let the color kind of blend on their own.  Some of the Rose Red areas, because it was a lot darker I needed to 'help' it blend.  But most of the areas if you just add water and let it dry on it's own the colors will blend naturally together.  Once one section was working on blending I moved to another section that wasn't touching the last section.  This did take a while, but I think it's worth it.  The hardest part is just letting it do it's thing on it's own.  Though you're tempted don't mess with it too much.  I think the look of it drying and blending naturally is so pretty!  I didn't use a heat tool to dry anything I didn't want to move the water, like I said, let it's do it's thing on it's own.  You'll love the results!  Once the card was all colored and dry I just added a quick greeting with some glimmer paper and vellum and finished the card with some rhinestones.  I really want to make a whole rainbow or colors using this technique! 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!!