It's the Hot Fun in the Sun Challenge

Today I made a card for the Impression Obsession "It's the Hot Fun in The Sun Challenge".  For more details about this challenge, look here.  I don't have any Summer specific stamps, so I made do with what I do have that reminds me of summer.  Watermelons.  Sweet, juicy and so much fun to eat during the very hot days of Summer here in California.  I based my card design on a beautiful card I received from my PTI friend, Renee Lynch of It's a Patchwork Life.  She sent me a beautiful card earlier this year using Papertrey Ink's All Booked Up stamp set.  Here is her card: 

I always loved how she used Mat Stack #3 upside down.  I thought that was such a creative way to use that die.  I love the colors she chose and if you look closely, you can see she removed the brown ink from the tree leaves and replaced it with green.  How long that must have taken, I can only imagine. 

Here is my card based on Renee's card.

I used a Berry Sorbet cardbase and a New Leaf Mat which was stamped in Versamark with Impression Obsessions Cover a Card stamp, Screen.  I have used this subtle patterned stamp on nearly every single card I make lately.  It adds such great dimension to an otherwise blank piece of cardstock.  Next I  embossed the layer with a cuttlebug folder.  Now, I think these are technically oranges or lemons, but I think they look enough like watermelons to go with the Berry Sorbet Mat Stack #3 and inked it up in Versamark with another wonderful Impression Obsession cover a card stamp, Greenery.I think it gives a really nice, interesting texture to a plain mat stack diecut.  I layered a New Leaf scallop and a white circle stamped with Background Basics, text style on top of the Mat Stack.  Those cute watermelons are popped up with dimensionals, and did you notice the "bite" taken from the top watermelon?  A cute sentiment on a double-ended banner diecut is just what this little card needed.  Some twine and a Berry Sorbet button are the finishing touches.  I hope you will check out both Renee's blog and the Impression Obsession website for their Cover a Card stamps.  I love them and look forward to owning more of them in the future.  Thanks for taking a look at my Hot Fun in the Sun card.