Birthday Blooms - Watercoloring and Stamping with Brusho Crystals - SUO Challenges #198

I love coloring. I love using different media to do my coloring.  I find the entire process very relaxing.  So I just had to participate in this week's challenge at SUO

The challenge is "All About the Coloring" - and for this challenge I challenged myself - to use a different medium to color with.

When Brusho Crystals appeared in the Occasion catalogue I was probably one of the first people to order it.  But learning about it's properties and behaviors proved a bit more difficult.

It was a steep learning curve - from knowing how to open the crystal containers to how much of the crystals to use.  I was not enamored with the bright splashes of background colors I created, so have  worked hard to tone down the colors and find different methods of using it.

For today's card, I made the Brusho Crystals into watercolor paints, and applied this paint in layers to an image.  I even experimented using the Brusho directly onto stamps to create a background for the card I was planning.

Here's the card:

The floral image was stamped and embossed with copper embossing powder on a separate pierce of  Whisper White card stock.

To make the Brusho Crystals into watercolor paints, a small amount of Crystals were added to separate ink wells of a paint palette along with about 3 drops of water. and the mixture stirred.  Colors used:  Prussian Blue, Mossy Green, and Yellow.

The aqua painter was used to apply each color in layers, allowing each layer to dry before adding more color.  I even mixed some of the colors to get a more realistic look i.e. yellow with the green on the leaves.

The image was the fussy cut and set aside while I stamped the panel.

This was another experiment.

I added some Prussian Blue crystals to a cotton ball and added a small amount of water.  This I used as an ink pad.  The small single flower stamp was then inked up and stamped repeatedly to create the panel background..  Some empty spots were filled in using the dot stamp and Pear Pizzazz ink.  In retrospect I could have used a baby wipe but I didn't have any so opted for a cotton ball.

I'm actually surprised it worked as well as it did.

Before matting the panel with Marina Mist card stock I sponged the edges lightly with some Marina Mist ink.

The card base is Marina Mist card stock, layered with Whisper White embossed with the Petal Burst embossing folder. The matted panel was added to the left side of the card front with dimensionals.  Some 1/4" white organza ribbon was added near the bottom of the panel prior to being adhered to the card front.  A double ribbon was added as well.

I added the cut out flower using dimensionals across the panel of the card front .

Here's a better look at the stamped panel with the floral image attached.

The sentiment, from Many More Thanks, was also embossed with copper embossing powder, and diet cut using the Petal Passion framelits.  It was added to the card front using dimensionals.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Birthday Blooms, Many More Thanks

Inks:  Versa Mark, Marina Mist, Pear Pizazz, Brusho Crystals, Pear Pizzazz

Papers:  Marina Mist, Whisper White

Accessories:  Aqua painter, Copper Embossing Powder, 1/4" White Organza ribbon, Petal Passion Framelits, Petal Burst embossing folder, Dimensionals