Watercolored Flowers Card

I was intrigued by the challenge at Modsquad challenge blog to make a floral watercolor. I'm always wishing I could get better in creating with watercolors. It's a medium I love that doesn't always love me or produce what I envision. But like everything else, I'm sure practice makes perfect, so I tried again. I wanted to make an encouragement card with the message: "God doesn't give us what we can handle...He helps us handle what we are given."

I chose flower colors from this inspiration photo at Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge:

I wanted to paint these in a free style that goes outside the outline of the flowers, which is harder for me than staying in the lines. I stamped flowers in Stazon ink. The middle pink flower and its stem and leaves were stamped first. I stamped the same again on a sticky note, cut it out, and covered(masked) the flower on the card before stamping the rest of the stems and leaves so they appear to be behind the middle flower. When I painted the flowers one at a time using a waterbrush and watercolor paint, then I went back over the slightly dry flower with more water hoping it would smear a little to help make a background. The green paint "smeared and spread" most easily. The butterflies were lightly painted the lightest yellow in the paint set. I was happy to see that painting them made the wings curl.  I mounted my colorful flowers with diagonal black and white stripes on each side, which seems to be a trend in crafting right now. I thought the black and white was good for such a colorful subject as bright spring flowers.

Inside the card I stamped two sentiments and added three flowers along the edges in light gray (Pebble).

This style card may not appeal to everyone, but I have a very artsy friend who needs encouragement, so I think this verse and watercolor style will be perfect for her.

Thank you for visiting! May you also be encouraged by this message and encourage others in turn.

365 Promises: Promise #116: Seek My kingdom first and everything you need will be given to you.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Dragonfly Journeys Challenge #116 - April showers bring May flowers
Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday Challenge - flowers and a sentiment
Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge #288 -  inspiration photo
Make My Monday Challenge #69 - In the garden
ModSquad Challenge Blog - Floral Watercolor
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - flower power
Try It On Tuesday Challenge - Nature's beauty
Word Art Wednesday #332-333 - anything uplifting

5.5" x 4.25" Card Recipe:

Paper - CTMH Watercolor Cardstock, Cats and Bats paper pack (black and white stripe, retired)unknown yellow cardstock from stash

Stamps - CTMH Many Congratulations, Falling for You-Scrapbooking (retired); Sweet and Sassy Stamps "The Future"

Ink - Stazon Jet Black, Memento Tuxedo Black

Embellishments - all CTMH - Black and White enamel dots, all retired: butterflies, Thistle Thick Twine, Make Waves Sequins

Tools - Thin Cuts die "Party Banners," Watercolor Paints, Medium Round Waterbrush