Hello!  I’m back to share with you a fun and easy card that shows a neat Spotlight technique.  So, if you’ve seen the spotlight technique before, it is the idea of having a larger black and white area – usually filled in with line art images – and then coloring in just a little bit of the area to make that spotlighted area POP!  Well, in this case, the Inside the Lines designer paper (**free through the end of March with a $50 order) makes it super simple for you!  This paper pack is all about the current coloring book trend and gives you 12×12 sheets of paper just begging for you to color them in.

Which brings us back to this technique, I just started with one big piece of the patterned paper and then I cut it into 3 parts.  You can size these however you want, I just recommend:

1. Make sure the area you want to highlight is in it’s own piece
2. Allow for some overlap of things OTHER than the main thing you want to highlight to just barely get into the spotlight piece (so basically, if you look at the picture below, notice how tips of the leaves and the other flower petals are in the main colored frame.)  This emphasizes that you are spotlighting one area and that it is all part of the same picture.

I colored in my flower with the new Watercolor Pencils.  These make it really easy to color and to add shading to your projects, because you just color like normal to fill in everything.  Then, when you are ready for the color to smooth out and blend, you just take an Aqua Painter or a Blender Pen and paint over the top.  The water activates the pigment in the pencils and allows it to all smooth out and look really pretty.

TIP – I’ve discovered that you will get a more smooth and vibrant result when you add extra pencil coloring at first.  Also, if you finish coloring and it doesn’t look smooth or dark enough for you, you can let it mostly dry and then use the pencil to color more and then blend in the new color with your Aqua Painter.

Finally, I added some of the Burlap ribbon and a Whisper White banner for my sentiment.  The “thanks” and “to a wonderful friend” that you see in the background all come from the Dragonfly Dreams stamp set.  See? Not just for Dragonflies, huh?

And if you like this paper, don’t forget it is only available as a free item choice during Sale-a-Bration through the end of March.  Learn more HERE

Want to make this card at home? Here are the project supplies:
February Rewards Hostess Code is 9UEXKZCV

Stamping Bingo, Crafty Retreat Weekend, and more fun classes… won’t you join me?

If you haven’t joined me for a class before and you are in the Seattle/Bellevue area, I have some awesome events coming up and would love to have you join me!

• Stamping Bingo – 2/18 from 1:30-4:30 at RoundTable Pizza Redmond
  come play bingo, win crafty prizes, make a few projects, get a goody bag and have lots of fun! details here
• Northwest Crafty Escape Weekend – 3/24-3/26 at the Hyatt House in Bellevue
  a full weekend to set up and craft to your hearts content!  I’ll have all my tools, punches, dies, embossing folders, and big shot out for you to use the entire time!  Plus make and takes, goodie bags, optional classes, and fun treats. details here
• Terrific Technique classes – 4th Mondays of the month at 10am or 7pm at Panera in Redmond
  Come learn more ways to use those tools or techniques you see online.  Make a technique instruction book to help you remember what you did later plus complete two cards using what you learned!
• Creative Cards classes – 1st Friday of the month at 10am or 7pm at Panera in Redmond
  Try out the latest stamps and goodies while winding down from you week and creating 3 fun projects

See my whole calendar online here or sign up for my Bellevue/Redmond Card Makers Meetup group to get notified when new events are posted!

February News, Notes, and Specials!

• February Hostess Code is 9UEXKZCV – Use this code when you shop online with me and earn extra perks!
• Sale-a-Bration is here!  Get even more between January 4-March 31st.
  • For every $50 ordered, pick any item from the Sale-a-Bration catalog to get for FREE added to your order
  • Place a $250 order or party and get an extra $25 to spend for FREE!
  • BEST DEAL – if your wish list is over $100, consider getting the demonstrator starter kit and joining my Fun n’ Crafty Stampers.  You get to pick out $125 in product for $99, get 20% off all your future orders, get 2 stamp sets of any value to add FREE to your kit during Sale-a-Bration, and join the amazing community of my team and demonstrators worldwide online.  Get started here