Hi everyone! Melissa here with a new design team page for the amazing Reneabouquets! Go and see all the beautiful things there!I have used a photo from free google, from Stella de Libero.

To make this page I applied texture paste with a stencil onto watercolor paper. I put the layers under the photo together, starting with taping on card stock under the image to make it stronger. Below that is a layer of watercolor paper, and at the bottom is corrugated cardboard.I tore off most of the paper from the surface of the cardboard, and painted it with gesso.While the gesso was wet, I sprinkled on Ultra Thick Embossing Powder, and heated it just until it melted. I put layers of foam core board between everything, to add dimension. After I had the page all put together, I added Shimmerz Paint to the background watercolor paper. Later I painted on white Higgins Ink, to cover areas where it looked too busy with all the textural things, or if there was too much color. I also splashed the page with the white ink.

I picked out Beautiful Board, applied gesso with a cosmetic sponge, then painted it with Shimmerz Paints, and when dry, topped it with a thick coat of Clear Rock Candy Crackle Paint.You can also see gold mica powder, gold ink, Art Alchemy paint in Ancient Coin,and Prima Waxes on the BBoard.

To add visual interest I added micro beads, glass glitter,metal glitter,distress glitter,seed beads,glass beads, pearls, Swarovski crystals,rhinestones,pressed flowers and leaves,bark, strands of gauze,tulle, small pieces of iridescent wrapping paper,gold mica flakes, shells,metal from Reneabouquets, Tim Holtz, Vintaj, Prima, flowers from Prima, and bling and metal from my stash.

I edged the photo, watercolor mat, and corrugated with black gesso, Prima Wax, gold mica powder. I edged the chipboard with black ink too. Ink is really easy to use, it's cleaner and easier to control than gesso, You just put a little on your brush. With gesso you need to add water, and it's just not as neat as ink.

I really worked on the colors on the page to try and make a composition that was balanced. I have to stand and add things, to get the big picture, kind of like doing a jigsaw puzzle. I've been using just watercolor brushes, they're easier to use than flat ones. To put gesso on the corrugated, I use a flat brush, and the same one every time, because it can really ruin brushes unless you clean it right after you use it.