Create a smile: Watercoloring with Distress Markers!

Hello and happy Friday!
Samantha here, and today I'm sharing a card all about watercoloring and sending someone some good vibes and happy thoughts!

I, like a lot of people, am still totally into the watercolor trend! And I'm in LOVE with the kind of loose watercoloring look, where the color bleeds past the edges! I just love it! So I knew I wanted to create a background of those amazing vintage radios in grey with that style!

* Cover the white cardstock base with clear gesso (this creates a gritty texture, which is FUN!)
* Once dry, stamp the image randomly in a staz-on or other permanent ink
* Use Distress markers and a waterbrush to create the watercolor look!
Be sure to move your brush with the color outside of the lines to get that cool 'loose' watercolor look!
* Stamp another image on a separate piece of watercolor/gesso covered paper and watercolor with Peacock Feathers and Evergreen Bough; let it dry and fussy cut it out
* Add dimensional adhesive to the focal image
* Stamp the sentiment, stamp the sun image below the sentiment and add greys and yellows while wet so the watercolors bleed and blend together.
* Add dimensional adhesive to the card front.
* Attach a strip of bright washi to the side of the card and attach the card front

I used the vintage radio image from the Perfect Tune.
The sun is from Your View and the sentiment is a combination of phrases from Bad Day.

For my card, I added gesso to the cardstock, so I could then watercolor without the warping. But you could just use watercolor paper, and get the same effect!

Also, instead of a staz-on ink, you can always heat emboss your images, instead!