Autumn Lake by Marta French, ME 2005

Media: glossy cardstock, stylus tool, wedge-shaped cosmetic sponges, brayer, milky gel pens (for highlighting), Kaleidacolor Rainbow ink pad -"Autumn Leaves", Sea Shells -"Peach Bellini", Memories -"Black", Memories -"Artprint Brown", Brilliance -pigment ink pad -"Moonlight White" (for adding "mist" or "fog")

1. Ink brayer with Kaleidacolor Rainbow pad --"Autumn Leaves"-- with lightest colors facing end of brayer closest to you, then brayer half of card with lightest colors in the middle. Re-ink brayer, turn card around and repeat again making sure that lightest colors go in the middle again --that's your "horizon" glow ( may have to try a few times like I did to get the background the way you want it --practice- practice -PRACTICE!!) **NOTE: I took this brayering tip from one of Kevin's "Simplescapes" brayer lessons on the Stampscapes homepage: Stampscapes 101: Simplescapes --"Birthday Row." You can go to that lesson to use as a reference if I've confused anybody with my version!!

2. With Memories "Artprint Brown", stamp "Cloud Cumulus" along "horizon glow" line -stamp clouds upside down as well where the water will be for reflections, too!! **NOTE: Memories ink pads are a very "wet" ink pad, so to reduce too much ink being stamped and getting "puddles" on your project, lightly stamp the image on scrap paper first, then onto your card. Stamp "Pine Row" in the same brown -stamp lightly on scrap paper first- and then stamp that below the cloud line. Then stamp the "Lakeside Cabin" in black.

3. Stamp "Lakeside Cabin" in black on and slightly under clouds on horizon line, or as close as you can get it.

4. With Seashells -"Peach Bellini" and stylus tool ( or sponge --I use both ), tap color along the "horizon line", in clouds, reflections in water, etc., to further enhance that sunset "glow" --to make the color "POP" out more!!

5. Use gel pens to add highlights on cabin, water, rocks,clouds, etc. I used both milky and dark metallic gel pens in colors that are in the "Autumn Leaves" rainbow pad, and the "Peach Bellini" pad. MILKY GEL PENS: peach, gold-yellow, a little white METALLICS: dark brown, dark orange, a little black

6. Stamp "Spruce Tree" and "Oak Branch" in black around edges to frame card. Stamp "Solo Canoeist" in black.

7. Here comes the "misty" part!! Using the stylus tool and Brilliance --"Moonlight White" pigment ink pad, tap, streak, and swirl the pigment ink on your scene putting "mist" or "fog" where ever you think it should go --it's totally up to you how much or how liitle mist or fog you put it --best part is "playing and experimenting" to see what you can come up with!!! -MF