July 2023 Inspiration Challenge | Soft Watercolor Layers

Hello, there Altenew friends! Michelle here and I am so excited to be hosting the July 2023 Inspiration Challenge! July is all about florals for me. The flowers are starting to bloom in the summer and fill the garden with beautiful colors!

The photo I have chosen for the July 2023 Inspiration Challenge is of a beautiful hydrangea in my garden. I have a few, most of them pink in color, but this one has a beautiful two-tone colorway to it. I love the blue to purple to pink hues! This photo was taken last year, but I have just seen that it is starting to flower for this year now too!

Soft Watercolor Layers

I started off my card by die cutting the Craft-A-Flower: Fragrant Peony Layering Die Set from Watercolor Paper. I then added layers of watercolor using Dual Tip Pens and a Round No 4 Paintbrush.

Inspiration Challenge Colors

I first applied Eastern Sky Dual Tip Pen (Tahitian Terrace Dual Tip Pen Set) onto a Watercolor Palette and then picked it up with a wet brush. I painted it onto the flower petals and before it was dry, I added Hydrangea Dual Tip Pen (Tahitian Terrace Dual Tip Pen Set) dabbing it onto the already wet petals. Adding the watercolor wet-on-wet creates a soft blended look.

Blending the two colors together gave me a blueish purple hue. This is what I interpreted from the Inspiration Challenge photo. I could have added a pink tone to it as well, but I decided to create one flower in the blue/purple tones and one in the pink.

For the pink flower, I used Pink Pearl and Coral Berry Dual Tip Pens (Tahitian Terrace Dual Tip Pen Set). The leaves were painted using Bamboo and Grass Field Dual Tip Pens from the Islands of Fiji Dual Tip Pens Set.

Card Assembly

Once the flowers were dry, they were assembled using liquid glue. I then took a panel of Classic Crest 110lb Solar White Cardstock and partially die cut it using the Terrific Tags Die Set to create a banner shape. The top part (that was not die cut) was then cut using a guillotine.

The banner shape was adhered to an A2 (4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″) white card base with Instant Dimension Foam Tape. I then adhered the leaves on top with liquid glue, followed by the flowers.

I took the ‘happy birthday' sentiment from the Soft Blossoms Stamp Set and stamped it on to Jet Black Cardstock using Embossing Ink. I applied Pure White Crisp Embossing Powder and heat set. It was cut into a strip and adhered to the card with more Instant Dimension Foam Tape.

To finish off, I added a few iridescent embellishments.

I hope I have inspired you to play along with the July 2023 Inspiration Challenge. You can watch the full process video below or on YouTube. Make sure to check below for details on how to enter the challenge!

~ Supply List ~

• Altenew products should be the focus, but other companies' products can be used.
• Make sure to use our challenge image above in your blog post.
• Include a link back to the ALTENEW INSPIRATION CHALLENGE POST.
• When uploading your project, make sure you link your entry post, not your entire blog.
• You may enter the challenge as many times as you wish!
• The challenge ends on July 31st, 2023, at 11:55 pm EDT.

FREE Coloring Pages!

Don't have Altenew products but still want to play along? We've got you! You can now join the Inspiration Challenge with our brand-new Color Some Blooms! (FREE Coloring Pages). These downloadable coloring pages can be used and colored as-is, fussy cut, embossed, mixed, and matched with other designs, etc. – the creative possibilities are endless. GET YOUR COLORING PAGES HERE and start playing along!

After the challenge ends, FOUR WINNERS will be selected. Each will receive a $30 gift certificate to spend at www.altenew.com.

 

There's MORE! Each winner also gets a chance to receive never-before-seen Altenew products for FREE and join one of our future blog hops as a guest designer. Winners will be announced on August 10, 2023.

More Prizes! 

If you use #AltenewChallenge when you share your challenge entry on social media, you are instantly entered into a raffle to win a $15 gift certificate to our online store.

Feel free to use the badge above and let everyone know that you are participating in our Inspiration Challenge!

Good luck and happy crafting!