Bethlehem

Stamp #1032V
Versa-Mark watermark ink pad
White with sparkles embossing powder
Pearl-Ex or other interference powders in gold, violet and blue
Binder such as Gum Arabic
Water
Large stencil-type brush
Palette for mixing powders (styrofoam egg carton works great!)
Heat embossing tool
Anti-static puff or Swiffer Duster sheet

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut and fold card stock to desired size. Wipe over area to be stamped with the anti-static puff or Swiffer duster. Ink stamp with Versa-Mark and stamp onto card. Emboss with white sparkle embossing powder. Mix each of the interference powders with water and a couple drops of Gum Arabic. Dip the large brush into the blue getting color only on the ends of the bristles. Pounce the brush on a flat area of the palette to remove any large globs of paint. Sweep the brush over the card in one dirction. Pick up some violet paint without cleaning the brush, pounce, and sweep over the card in the opposite direction. Continue, alternating colors, until there is color from top to bottom of the card. The object of the sweeping motion is to add some color, not to have solid color. Not cleaning between strokes will blend some new shades, too! Pick up some gold on the end of the small stencil brush, pounch of excess. To give a halo effect around the star, pounce straight down over the center of the star. The bristles will splay out giving a radiating effect.

Stamp #1032V
Violet card stock
Watercolor paper (Arches Hop Pressed allows for a clean image and great pooling and bleeding of colors)
Tube watercolors in Violet and Ultramarine
White with sparkles embossing powder
Versa-Mark watermark ink pad
Wide wire-edged ribbon
Double stick tape
Watercolor brush
Heat embossing tool
Paper towel
Palette for paint
Water

INSTRUCTIONS:

Stamp image on watercolor paper with Versa-Mark. Emboss. Do the watercolor wash as on the sample above, alternating violet and ultramarine. While the wash is still damp, *lift* some of the color off the star area with a small piece of paper towel. Allow to dry. Cut image out leaving a small border all the way around. Cut the wire ribbon longer than your card and bend the ends over the top and bottom edges. Attach to card with double stick tape. You can add a finishing touch by applying a drop of glitter glue to the center of the star.