CAS Mix up Challenge - Watercolour Sunflower

Hi everybody.  This month the CAS Mix Up Challenge is featuring Watercolouring with the theme of Sunflower hosted by Bobby, and our Guest Designer is Barbara (My Creative Room).

I used an old set of Papermania stamps called Build a Sunflower, and I also used a stencil which came with a Simply Cards and Papercraft Magazine No. 284 with stamps and a double stencil from Indigoblu, both have never been used before.

                            

I decided to use a 5" x 7" card base and I cut a piece of white card to fit this.  I stamped the largest sunflower in the bottom right corner using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink, going off the edge slightly and then I stamped it again onto some masking paper and cut it out.  Having masked the image I then used the mandala stencil in that corner using a brush to apply the Distress Ink Mermaid Lagoon, and then I decided to add a smaller bit of the mandala on the top left hand corner using the same ink.  I also added four of one of the tiny sunflowers stamped in the same ink around the edge of the stencilling in just that corner.

I removed the mask and then watercoloured the sunflower with Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade DI's on the petals and Walnut Stain DI for the centre using a waterbrush.  I finished with a bit of pencil smudged around the edge of the flower to give it more definition and added the sentiment also using the Mermaid Lagoon ink.

I hope you will come and visit us over at CAS Mix Up and take a look at the beautiful work from our Guest Designer Barbara and the rest of the team.  There are also a couple of videos you can watch for more inspiration and the challenge is open until the end of the month so you have plenty of time to play along with us.  I love sunflowers which are always so bright and pretty and can be seen quite late into the summer which is lovely, and if you ever see a field filled with them it is a spectacular sight.

Thank you for visiting my blog today and I'll see you again soon.  

I am entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Stamp It.

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge - No. 525 Die Cuts and/or Stencils.

Stencil Fun Challenge - Sept. '26 Anything Goes/Yellows.

NBUS Challenge - No. 90 Where we use our Never Before Used Schtuff.

I.D.E.A.S. Challenge - Week 5 Stencils.