A CAS-ual Play Date, More or Less...

Inspired by the Less is More One Layer Card, Fur or Feathers, This gorgeous Play Date Cafe colour palette and CAS-ual Fridays Square Cards, I thought I'd try masking and sponging a sunset behind this gorgeous The Alley Ways Stamps Tropic Topic flamingo.

I stamped the flamingo on watercolour paper in Versamark Watermark Ink then heat embossed in Zing Pewter.  Next I stamped the flamingo on a scrap piece of cardstock and cut around it to use as a mask, and  placed the flamingo mask over the stamped image and secured with masking tape.  I negative die-cut a circle from scrap cardstock to use as the mask for the sun, and positioned this on my stamped watercolour paper before also securing with masking tape.  I shaded the sun by starting at the top by dabbing Distress Ink Squeezed Lemonade around the top edges then working my way to around two thirds down the circle, Next I dabbed Distress Ink Spiced Marmalade, starting at the bottom of the circle around the edges and working my way up, gradually getting lighter to about one third from the top of the circle.  I then gently blended the orange into the yellow and the yellow into the orange until I was happy with the effect.  I carefully removed the circle mask and the flamingo mask, before using a fine watercolour pen and Distress Ink Picked Raspberry to colour the flamingo, with the deepest shades low and adding a little water to highlight the top of his wing.  Happy with the results of my first attempt at blended masking!

Love how the flamingo looks like a 2 and 1 intertwined. Hope my niece enjoys her 21st card!