A Couple of Poinsettias

Happy Friday!
I know it's super late in the evening for me to be posting, but I am so proud of these cards that I had to share them right away!

I was in a little funk this morning, trying to put ideas to paper and failing with every attempt.  It had me super frustrated and angry...but I kept trying...and I'm glad I did.  With a little inspiration from some challenges, I was able to create 2 cards that I am absolutely in love with.  Probably my favorite holiday cards so far this year.

It started with a red poinsettia.  I ordered the amazing new Winnie & Walter In Bloom: Elsa's Flora stamp set as soon as it came out.  Every single one of those images spoke to me..I knew I had to have it.  I've mulled ideas over in my head with it a lot since getting it, and the poinsettia just kept popping back up.  I decided to try a few different ways to color it in: watercolor like the red one above, and using distress inks with a shimmer mist like you'll see in my second card.

My first few attempts were major failures...but that was okay because I was just playing.  When I broke out the watercolors though, this whole card just came to life in my mind.  I colored in the poinsettia and the pinecones and did some washes over the white embossing of the pine branches.

I used a wood grain background stamp from Hero Arts and did a second generation stamping of it onto some kraft cardstock.  Then cut a few diagonal slits in it so I could put some silver glitter paper behind it all.  I had tried the layout with the glitter paper on top and it was too much, so I thought recessing it down behind the wood grain would look better...and it did!!

I popped the wood grain paper up with some fun foam and then started to assemble my flower arrangement.  Everything really came together easily, so I finished it off with a cute sentiment from the Winnie & Walter Eat Drink Gingerbread Man stamp.  I only inked up the bottom line for this card :)  A few white enamel dots and that was it!  I didn't add any shimmer to this card because I thought the glitter paper was enough.

Now for the second card, I did almost the exact same thing but I changed up the colors a little:

For this poinsettia, I used a little bit of Vintage Photo distress ink just in the middle, and then misted it from above with some shimmer mist.  Then set it aside to dry...and holy wow!  It is so gorgeous!

So much sparkle!  I changed the glitter paper underneath to a sort of brownish bronze.  The silver didn't work very well with the white poinsettia.  I also used a different sentiment stamp and red enamel dots instead of white.  But overall, very much like the first card. 

I'm just proud of myself for getting 2 cards done at once!  That never happens!!  Go me :)  Maybe I can make it a habit?  Probably not...

Anyhow, thanks for visiting and have a fabulous weekend!!  <3

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
    Retro Sketches #189
    The Challenge #50-Red, White, Silver, Kraft

    The Corrosive Challenge #237-Add a Sentiment
    Word Art Wednesday #209-Anything Goes