Give Thanks

Next Thursday we'll celebrate Thanksgiving here in the United States. Some of the things for which I am particularly grateful for this year are good health, a happy family, and being part of a wonderful creative team on the Eyelet Outlet blog! Today's my day over there, and I'm sharing a seasonal card I had a lot of fun making, inspired by these gorgeous Eyelet Outlet Leaf Brads:

To create the background, I used my newest favorite technique, in which you apply drops of water to your paper, add a tiny bit of color to each one, (I've used some of the gorgeous new Rich Moroccan Color Burst shades, but regular watercolor paint or ink would also work) then *SMOOSH* the dots of color and let them appear as random splotches on your paper. For best results, you'll definitely want to use colors that look well if they blend together a bit; and using a clear sandwich bag or some deli paper is helpful if you'd like to see the shapes you're making as you smoosh the droplets. For a less blended effect, apply the colors one by one, letting them dry in between.

I chose my shades of Color Burst based on the gorgeous autumn shades of those fabulous Leaf Brads. I also painted a few small leaves diecut from vintage text paper and sheet music. To add even more texture to my card, I only applied adhesive to the centers of my diecut leaves, and I curled the loose edges so they'd look more like real leaves.

Since wet media often warps one's paper a bit, my favorite way to attach a watercolor panel is with my sewing machine. Finally I added my sentiment using a combination of stamps and some of the Vintage Music Chipboard Letters I sell in my Etsy Shop, Just Enough Stuff.

Something else for which I am thankful is the amazing community of artists I've met online! I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, and hope you will spend the day surrounded by your friends and family! ♥