Instructions

Step 1:  Stamp the sentiment from the Hello Sunshine Stamp Set on Tim Holtz Watercolor Cardstock. Use Jet Black Archival Ink and heat emboss with Super Fine Clear Embossing Powder. 

Step 2:  Paint the letters in the word "smile", as well as the the areas around them, with Distress Inks. Keep the letter more intense and the background more faint by using different amounts of water. For this card, the following colors were used: Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Picked Raspberry, and Wilted Violet.  

Step 3: Stamp a smiley sun and two envelopes with Black Archival Ink and paint them with Distress Inks in Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Salty Ocean, and Picked Raspberry. 

Step 4: Work on the card base. Take a Perfect Cardstock Grey Panel and use the Make Art Stay-tion to secure the Organic Stripes stencil diagonally across the panel. Use some paper scraps to mask off the stecil and leave three stripes exposed.  

Step 5:  Blend the Letter It Embossing Ink through the stencil and emboss the stripes with White Embossing Powder. Repeat on the opposite corner and don't worry if the lines don't meet in the middle. That part will be hidden in the final card. 

Step 6:  Add some droplets to the card front. Use Distress Ink in Black Soot, Gold Perfect Pearls, and the same colors of Distress Inks used to paint in the letters. 

Step 7:  Glue the card front to the card base and add some finishing touches. Add White Pen highglights to the word Smiles and coat the letter with Glossy Accents.