Antique Bouquet

I got an ATG gun (714) and it is super cool!  Now I look for opportunities to put extra layers on my cards.  While I was still unsure and deciding on this gun, SuG of SplitcoastStampers.com mailed me a roll of tape to try out!  I kept taping stuff and testing the strength of the tape, and I was pretty happy with it!  Anyway, I made SuG a thank-you card.  My husband wanted to keep it, so I made him his own version:

 

Except that on his, he requested a ladybug:

So I stamped a ladybug image (Stampin’ Up!’s “Bugs & Slugs”) on the card, and then stamped a second image on a tiny scrap of Strathmore’s 140 lb cold-pressed watercolour paper.  On the card, I watercoloured a shadow on the left side of the ladybug.  On the little scrap, I watercoloured the ladybug, put some double-sided tape on the underside, and then cut out just the round shape (not the legs or the antennae).   Then I carefully coloured the edges of this scrap with a black marker (I used a black PITT artist’s pen) otherwise, the sides of the ladybug would’ve looked white, and less real.  Then I stuck that on top of the first stamped image (which is there so I didn’t have to cut out the legs or antennae).  Of all the ladybug images I have, this is my husband’s favourite one. 

These ladybugs are a wonderful way of using up my ultra-expensive watercolour paper scraps.  I have enough scraps to make a whole army of ladybugs! 

The French words in the circle mean “I send you my love.”  They are from Stampin’ Up!’s French version of Circle of Friendship.  This circle is popped up on dimensionals. 

Other stuff used in this card:
Stampin’ Up!:  Gentler Times, En français, A to Z Accents, Canvas
Anna Griffin:  Swirl Motif
Paper: Neenah’s Paper Classic Linen (Baronial Ivory), olive green, craft
Inks: Memories Black, Tim Holtz (Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy [sponging])
Accessories: Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours, sponge, dimensional, circle punches