Mama Elephant - Angel Birthday

Mama Elephant just posted their new challenge for August:

and, of course, I knew I just had to play along. I've been wanting to do more watercolor lately and make good use of all those distress markers I bought. I really wanted to use Mama Elephant's Love from Above stamp set, and it seemed very fitting for the watercolor background I wanted to create.

I started by cutting a piece of Tim Holtz watercolor paper to measure 3 3/4 by 5". I taped it to a board so it wouldn't warp too much as I colored (plus it left a nice white border). I knew I wanted a sky background, but I didn't want it to be completely flat and blue. So, I colored the sky with blues at the top and fading into pink and golden yellow - this gives a sunset kind of look.

Once the base background was dry, I used a combination of darker blue and grey colors to create the clouds. I would lay a bit of color down, dry it with my heat tool, then layer more color on. It created this fantastic dimensional look that I really love.

After the background was dried completely, I matted it onto a piece of light brown cardstock. Then I adhered it to a standard A2 card (4 1/4 by 5 1/2").

The cloud on the left was just the right size and shape for the angel, so I stamped the open cloud from the Love from Above set straight onto the background with MFT's Steel Blue ink. This gave the cloud just enough definition, but not too much contrast.

I stamped the little angel on a piece of Copic marker paper, using MFT's Chocolate Brown ink. I colored him in with Copic markers, using lighter shades so he wouldn't be too dark for the soft watercolors. I cut him out with scissors and adhered him to the card with foam squares.

I found the birthday sentiment in Mama Elephant's Fair Feathers set - which also had a quill that tied in perfectly with the angel. I stamped the quill in the same chocolate brown ink, and colored it in with Copics. I used the fair feathers coordinating dies to cut it out, and I adhered it to the card with foam squares. I stamped the birthday sentiment in Coffee ink.

Lastly, I scattered a few of Pretty Pink Posh sparkling clear sequins onto the card. They added just the right amount of sparkle!

Supplies:
Mama Elephant Love from Above stamp
Mama Elephant Fair Feathers stamp
Mama Elephant  Fair Feathers coordinating dies
My Favorite Things Hybrid Ink in Chocolate Brown and Steel Blue
Ranger Archival Ink in Coffee
Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor paper
Distress Markers (Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Iced Spruce, Worn Lipstic, Wild Honey)
Paintbrush & water
Bazzill Canvas Cardstock in Fawn
Bazzill Marshmallow cardstock (base)
Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins in 4mm and 6mm
Scrapbook Adhesives 3D foam squares
Ranger Multi-Medium matte
Copics (E000, E21, E11, YR01, Y11, YR21, B000)