One-Layer Simplicity Challenge #7: Wave the Flag

I am hosting the July challenge at One Layer Simplicity. In honour of Canada Day (July 1st) and American Independence Day (July 4th) I decided to make the challenge about flags.  I want you to take a look at your country’s flag and find some inspiration there. It could be the colours, the layout, the patterns or the images. I created two cards because I have lived my life in two countries. I was born and raised in Australia and lived there for the first 35 years of my life. I married my Australian husband and both my daughters were born there. When they were 4 & 6 our family moved to Canada and seven weeks after we arrived my son was born. We have lived here ever since which will be 14 years next month. The card above is inspired by the Southern Cross on the Australian flag. I miss seeing the Southern Cross when I look up into the sky at night.

I cut a card base from watercolour paper as I planned to make it quite wet with distress stains and water. To frame the stars I tore the edge off some masking tape and taped the card base to a cutting mat. Once taped I stamped stars of different sizes and the sentiment in versamark then embossed with clear powder.  I swiped three blue distress stains across the watercolour paper filling the whole space with colour. To blend it I spritzed a generous amount of water mixed with pearl-ex powder. You can see the sparkle of the pearl-ex powder below. After the panel had dried a little I stamped some more stars, this time in blue inks. When dry I removed the tape and ironed the panel embossed side down onto computer paper to melt and remove the embossing.

My second card is inspired by both the colour and the image on the Canadian flag. The beauty of the maple trees in autumn is something I look forward to every year. To create my second card I used the torn off bits of masking tape to make a narrow torn frame around the square front below. I then sponged red ink around the borders and stamped a maple leaf several times over the sponging.  I can’t wait to check out your flag inspired cards and see how many countries end up being represented in our challenge

Supplies:

Stamps:  Hello Winter , Sweet Wishes, To You, Foliage Fancy, Maple Leaf (PB)
Inks: Versamark (Tsukineko) Chipped Sapphire, Tumbled Glass,  Broken China Distress Stains  and  Chipped Sapphire, Salty Ocean and Fired Brick distress inks (Ranger) 
Cardstock:  Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
Also: clear embossing powder, Pearl Ex