Another retired stamp set, this time In the Country. I made two cards with it, using alcohol markers to color them with different results.
The image reminded me of pictures of Italy or Greece. Soooo, my first version takes us on a trip to Sicily.
However, Greece called to me (perhaps it was the blue door?), so I took a much lighter approach with the second one. The houses on islands in Greece are whitewashed and they're visually intense, especially on a cloudy day. Instead of coloring the image, I decided to bring out the white by highlighting the details on the walls and stairs in a light blue, which you might be able to make out. A darker blue for the door and dabs of green and red for the plants completed the look. I left it simple and didn't fill in a sky this time.
Which do you prefer?
The set includes a second stamp of a hillside with trees and a dirt track. New England, perhaps? I might try to capture fall colors in those trees for a future card.
I should have taken a picture of it before I colored in the sky, which really made it pop. I mounted it on some Early Espresso cardstock to bring out the browns. As usual, I'll add a sentiment later on.
