Last Day for March Challenges

Hello there. I'm just popping in to share a card made for two challenges (one ends today, one ends next week). The card is my first "make-ahead" birthday card. Every journey begins with the first step - right? Haven't I been saying I need to create a card inventory so I'm not always behind the eight ball and a deadline? Time to try!

Anyway, I'd been mulling over what I could make for the Mixed Media World Vintage challenge, and already passed up 2 cards I made and forgot to link to them (geez!). Then, I got an email about Deep Red Stamps' monthly challenge being Spring and/or Watercolors:

...and then (one time at band camp...haha just kidding) I started daydreaming about getting out my Twinkling H2O's. But I had to use a DRS stamp, so I looked at what stamps I have of theirs. I remembered these 2 cool Technique Junkies techniques using watercolor....and combining that with stamping equals mixed media...and the card just appeared in my mind! lol  No, seriously. No drugs involved, either. ;-)

When I finished the card, I took about a zillion pics and a scan, but in every photo either the colors are off or the Twinks are not twinkling. I hate when that happens. So, I'm going to show you the scan of the card first because these colors are true (but no twinkle):

The DRS stamp is the Honey Bee Vintage stamp (without the honey label - I cut them apart when I got it so I could use each by itself). The background is a TJ technique called Textured Watercolors using wc crayons on glossy paper (and I sealed it with hair spray). I used a Cuttlebug honeycomb embossing folder and some ancient Leave Memories flower stamps.

Now, let's see some twinkles! I did the bees (6 in all - enough to make 2 cards, along with 2 extra backgrounds - I just couldn't stop painting, lol) using a TJ technique called Twinkling H2O's. I used a liner brush because the images were so small, and it worked beautifully.

I looked through my sentiment stamps that had to do with bees and came up with this for the front. (The inside says You are the Bees Knees -- My Sentiments Exactly, I think). I do know that both card front sentiments are Lawn Fawn stamps.

I stamped the sentiments on a Hexagon die cut border by My Favorite Things, popped the bees up on 1/16" dimensionals and called it done after distressing the edges of nearly everything with Stazon Saddle Brown (which got a lot of use all over this card, lol).

Now, I know honey bees probably don't have colorful stained glass wings. I beg artistic license on this, as I wouldn't have had much to paint with just transparent or white wings. Heck, I'm still in awe that watercolor crayons can work on glossy paper!

So, to sum up, I am entering this card in the Deep Red Stamping Spring Challenge and also in the Mixed Media World Vintage challenge, and linking to both. And, tomorrow will be April Fools! My gosh, it feels like life is speeding past! Wasn't it just Valentine's Day???? Have a good one! xoxo