My Cards and Tags: Card using Prima Tropicals Watercolors and Inky Antics' Encouraging Words

"Floral Frenzy" is this week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog theme and we're also highlighting Prima products.  I always appreciate artistic flowers during the gray post-winter months, so I decided to do some watercoloring on this lovely floral print from Prima's Fruit Paradise paper collection.

I started by cutting a panel of Prima Fruit Paradise paper that had a pretty floral pattern on it.  It had a lot of olive green around the edges, so I covered some of that with white paint.  Then I added some Prima Mint Impasto paint around the edges.  I adore this color!!

While I was at it, I gave the paper a coat of clear Gesso just for a touch of texture and tooth.  Then I whipped out my watercolors.  I used a combo of Prima Tropicals watercolors and two colors from Daniel Smith: Opera Pink and Teal Blue.  After I painted the flowers, I spritzed the whole thing with a Distress Sprayer just to make the colors bleed a bit.  Once it was dry, I added in some other pops of color with Prima Water Soluble Oil Pastels.

The paper got a little curly when I added so much water, so after it dried, I glued the whole thing to a piece of sturdy Strathmore Mixed Media paper and set it under a hefty book to help it flatten out.  Next I stamped the sentiment (from Inky Antics' "Encouraging Words" set) on a separate piece of paper, cut it out and glued the words to the floral base.  Then it was done!  This card wasn't really done in my typical style, but I still got my happy bright colors in there!

Here are the supplies I used, which you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

Prima Fruit Paradise 12x12 Paper
Prima Watercolors, Tropicals
Prima Basics Water Soluble Oil Pastels
Prima Impasto Mint Paint
Dina Wakley White Acrylic Paint
Daniel Smith Watercolor: Opera Pink
Daniel Smith Watercolor: Teal Blue
Distress Sprayer
Inky Antics' Encouraging Words Stamp Set
Acrylic Block
Ranger Nonstick Craft Sheet
Dina Wakley Clear Gesso
Strathmore Mixed Media Paper

How will you share your floral love this week?  Upload your creations to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $50 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store.