My Cards and Tags: Live in Gratitude

Sometimes I don't know if I'm getting cooler or nerdier as I age, but my favorite Friday night activity has become crafting while the rest of the fam hangs out in my room and watches a good flick.  My hubby's the best-- he doesn't even mind when I interrupt the most action-packed moment in the movie to say, "Do you like this better with a smudge of yellow or green ink in this corner?"  He has the patience of Job.  He just smiles, hits the pause button and gives my project his full attention as if it is as riveting as that car chase scene that's now frozen on the screen.  Love that about him!

This is the card that emerged from last night's crafting session and it's made from some fabulous stamps from 100 Proof Press:

The colorful grid background was very therapeutic after a long week at work.  I started with this 15 Block Stamp, which I heat embossed with black powder onto white watercolor paper.

Here's where the therapeutic part came in!  I whipped out my watercolors and painted around the central images in each square.  Heat embossed images are great to watercolor with because your watercolors won't block out or blur your embossed lines. And there's always something soothing to me about getting back to my elementary school painting roots.

The final touch was to take Distress Inks (Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry, Peacock Feathers and Mustard Seed) and smudge them onto the areas that had corresponding watercolors.  This made the squares blend together better.  

I cut out the grid, made a border, attached some fabric scraps, made a pink curly-swirl with Prima's wire thread and topped it with a sentiment that I also heat embossed and cut up titled, Live in Gratitude.

This card was fun to make and I think the message is so important.  It's a good reminder to me to be grateful for the people, experiences and even the trials that shape us into who we are.