Hello there!  The first Monday of the month brings a new challenge at Cards in Envy.  For the next two weeks, we’d like to see cards based on the theme of “Flowers or Fantasy”.  So long as your card shows some sort of flowers or fantasy creature, or a combination of them, it’ll be just fine for the challenge.  Be sure that your card has no lumpy, bumpy embellishments more than 1/4″ thick, so that it could be mailed at the standard first-class postage rate.

I wasn’t feeling a floral mood when I needed to make my card for this challenge.  I have a stamp set with several fantasy creatures and decided to use the dragon image.  I colored the dragon with metallic Gelatos, blending the colors with a damp paintbrush.  I hope you can see the shimmer in the photograph.  The rainbow-like background was made by rubbing yellow, orange, and red gel sticks on watercolor paper and blending them with a damp paper towel.  (Some of my products are plain ol’ gel sticks, and some are the brand name Gelatos.)  I fussy cut the dragon, fit him to the card with temporary adhesive to figure out where his fiery breath should be, and then stamped and colored the flames by touching the damp paintbrush to the gel sticks to pick up the color.  I also stamped the sentiment before I glued the dragon into place, and then I attached the card panel to a coordinating colored base.  I’ve used the current CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge for the layout of my card.

Thanks for stopping by today!  Now go check out what the rest of the Cards in Envy design team has made.  I’m sure they’d love it if you visit their blogs and leave a comment.  Then share your own fantasy or floral card with us at the CIE site by 7:00 p.m. Eastern time Sunday, April 17.  We’d love to have you play along with us!

Supplies:
Stamps: Critters Ever After, So Much to Say (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Daffodil Delight (Stampin’ Up); The Langton Prestige Extra Smooth Hot Press watercolor paper (Daler-Rowney)
Ink: Onyx Black (VersaFine)
Other: metallic Gelatos, gel sticks (Faber Castell)