Good morning! Today, I have the pleasure of taking part in a fantastic blog hop: Autism Awareness Blog Hop. So very many families have a loved one who has been diagnosed as being on the spectrum; I myself have two family members on the spectrum. I am so honored that Veronica Zalis asked me to be a part of this blog hop today, and it’s in honor of those family members that I created this card! In honor of this worthy cause, Taylored Expressions has created a very special stamp set called Look With Your Heart, containing beautiful encouragement sentiments. Taylored Expressions also is committed to donating 25% of the proceeds from the sales of this set during the month of April to the Autism Society.
The hope for this blog hop is to bring awareness and a bit of compassion to those families affected by this diagnosis. My cousin (who is like a sister to me) has a son six months younger than my own children, and watching her joys and struggles with her son has been such an eye-opening experience for me. The parents of children with autism are truly superheroes. It’s one of those situations that you will never truly understand unless you have walked in their shoes, and they deserve every ounce of compassion and love that we can muster.
While the sentiments in this beautiful Look With Your Heart stamp set are all incredible and so poignant, one of the sentiments particularly spoke to me: “Every child is a different kind of flower, and all together make a beautiful garden.” Each child is their own person. Each child has their own value, their own contribution to society. They all are capable of making us better people, and together we can make the world a better place for them.
I started by stamping the beautiful Floral Trimmings stamp from Studio Katia and silver heat embossing it on some watercolor paper. I then placed strips of washi tape on the embossed panel and watercolored it using the same technique that I demonstrated in this video. Stripes and florals are super chic this spring, so I wanted to bring that trend in to this card. I wanted pretty pastel blue florals, so I used Daniel Smith’s French Ultramarine.
After peeling off my washi masking tape stripes, I worked on watercoloring the florals. I used a variety of colors of Daniel Smith watercolor tubes (helping to bring home my chosen sentiment with lots of different flowers ;)), including Quinacridone Pink, New Gamboge, Alizarin Crimson, and Hooker’s Green. (I’ll link them all below!) I stamped the same floral image from Floral Trimmings on a piece of scrap watercolor paper, then watercolored just a portion of it and fussy cut it to have an extra little floral element.
Once my watercoloring was complete, I turned to the greeting. I stamped the lovely sentiment from the Taylored Expressions Look With Your Heart stamp set onto some heavyweight vellum and heat embossed it using silver embossing powder. I then scored it and folded the edge over the edge of my floral panel and hid the adhesive on the back of the card. (You have to be sneaky with vellum or else that ugly adhesive shows right through!) I used the other fussy cut floral piece to hide some more adhesive in the corner of the vellum sentiment panel. Isn’t that sentiment just stunning?
I hid some more adhesive behind some Sparkling Clear sequins, then added a thin strip of silver glitter paper on the edge of the card front for a little sparkle.
Well, that’s all for my project today! I hope you’ll check out all of the different sponsors for this hop… there are some absolutely incredible prizes from some absolutely incredible and generous sponsors (including some of my absolute favorite companies… Ellen Hutson, Hero Arts, and Honeybee Stamps). There is a wealth of inspiration and encouragement to be found along this hop, and I hope you will check out each stop!
There is also an opportunity for you to create your own Autism-themed project and link it up to the InLinkz for an additional chance to win one of these fabulous prizes!
What beautiful card for a wonderful cause. Thanks for helping to raise awareness.
What a beautiful card, Emily. I love the stamping on the vellum for the sentiment .
This is so pretty! That striped background is great!
Beautiful card! I especially love that sentiment. 🙂
I love this beautiful sentiment and your gorgeous card that is just perfect for this hop!!
This is so amazing! What a great hop! Thank you for supporting Autism Awareness in this way!
I love the way you used this sentiment together with a buch of flowers :)and it’s a joyful card !
Beautiful card and great use of color. Thank you for being a part of this special awareness!!
What a gorgeous card, Miss Lady!! Thanks for being a part of this AWESOME event!!!
Beautiful card! The sentiment is perfect for such a worthy cause!
What a worthy cause for this blog hop! Your card is AWESOME! I especially love the goripesrgeous coloring and blue stripes!
Don’t know why I never thought of using Washi tape strips for masking. Doh! Great card!
That’s a gorgeous card!! Motivating! Thanks to everyone who are part of the awesome blog hop, and to the sponsors!
love this card, really need this stamp.
Beautiful card with so much color! I love that!
Gorgeous card and I love the blue stripes and the vellum sentiment. Awesome job!
This is such a pretty card! Awesome work.
Another good use for those rolls of washi tape I’ve ‘collected’! Thanks for sharing your idea and your lovely card.
Your card is absolutely gorgeous!!
Emily, that sentiment brought tears to my eyes! And your sensational garden background is perfection behind it!! Hugs, Darnell
This is absolutely beautiful, Em, and created for such a wonderful cause. Love it!
This is a absolutely beautiful card! I just love the flowers and the look of the background. Thanks so much for participating in the awareness of the cause
Beautiful card and a great cause to support.
Wonderful card for such a worthwhile cause.
Oh, I just love that sentiment!
Super Beautiful Card!! Love that Floral stamp!!!
Beautiful card for a worthy cause. I love the sentiment.
Love the watercolors! Thank you for sharing your talents for this great cause!
Such an inspiring card!
Oh such a Beautiful card… The colours are perfect.. I really would like to make this card… Thanks so very much..
Wow, great card layout. TFS
Your card is beautiful and your coloring is fantastic ! This is really a great blog hop.
Beautiful card with the perfect sentiment. Thank you for participating in this event.
Beautiful card! Thanks for adding to the awareness! I love this initiative! After homeschooling my 5 children for 27 yrs, I took a job as an EA/TA to a 7yr old boy who was on the autism spectrum. He also had FASD. I was with him for 3 years and LOVED it all! Thank you for bringing forward more awareness of the awesomeness of these children.
I would like to say how much I appreciate that you are participating in this. My son is 12 and he has Aspergers syndrome. He also has aggressive ADHD and it was hard to get the autism diagnosis and therefore to get it treated. This is a wonderful way to raise awareness
Oh my goodness!! Your card is absolutely GORGEOUS! Every detail is pure perfection. Thank you for raising awareness for such a worthy cause. <3
Such an incredibly beautiful card! I so wish you had made a video tutorial. Thank you for participating in this amazing blog hop.
Gorgeous love you embossed in the silver, great card, thanks!
Stunning project. Love how you softened the the design with the vellum layer. TFS
Beautiful card, I love the way you used the vellum.
What an amazing card! Gorgeous design and colors. Love the flowers and perfect with that sentiment. It’s fast becoming a favorite! Thanks for helping raise awareness of the autism spectrum!
Stunning and heartfelt card – Beautiful!
This card is most stunning. Your video makes it look so easy. Thanks for the tips!
Having a grandchild on the spectrum makes this cause extra special.love the card.
This is beautiful! The extra flowers and the stripes are the perfect touch! Thanks for the inspiration!
Wow, this card is stunning. Love the coloring, great card for this cause, thanks!
Such a sweet card and lovely sentiment!
You’ve made us a GORGEOUS CARD today, Emily! THANK YOU! 😉 The LOVELY SENTIMENT works SO WELL with the flowers! Our son has ADHD & Aspergers, so we understand the need for awareness. 😉 THANK YOU for touching others with your talent to help in this area! 😉
Beautiful – love the watercolour stripes & pretty flowers. Thanks for supporting the Autism Awareness Day & Blog Hop.
I love seeing the different styles combined with this sentiment, the velum is so pretty with the flowers you used!
Emily your card is beautiful and perfect for this cause.
A beautiful saying, and so true! Thanks for sharing.
This is such a beautiful card for a great cause. Thanks for showing how you used washi tape to create that background, too!
The detail on this card is just breathtaking!! Seriously, so beautiful! I just love those flowers and how you used the vellum. It gives it such a soft and elegant look <3
Your card is so beautiful! Thank you for being in this amazing hop.
Beautiful card! Thank you so much for participating in this hop to help raise awareness for autism! I have 2 boys 5 and 3 years old and they both have autism. This means SO much to my family!! Thank you, thank u!! ❤️❤️
that floral in the background is amazing. Love this stamp set!
How beautiful! I love that sentiment. Thanks for sharing.
This is such a beautiful card! I love the colors, the vellum and the sentiment is great!
You’ve made a wonderful floral design !!
[margessw(at)icloud(dot)com]
Gorgeous floral card! I really like the striped background and the silver embossing really sets it off.
Gorgeous!
Beautiful card! Love this sentiment! The colors are gorgeous! Thanks for supporting this worthy cause!
Very beautiful card, love the watercolor feel.
Lovely thanks for sharing your lovely card.
For a lovely cause thanks for participating in this blog hop for autism awareness. I have a daughter with autism. And it is the most misunderstood disorders.
Have a blessed day!
Kimberly
What a pretty card!
Gorgeous card! I love the artistry of your design
What a gorgeous card. Definitely worth framing. Thanks for the tip @ using the washi tape for the horizontal stripes.
I love the gorgeous flowers you created! So pretty!
Another mama with a beautiful 30yo son with Autism and a 28yo daughter that teaches Special Ed with a true passion! So very proud of them both, and grateful to you getting this blog hop going! Sporting my blue today, and have my front porch blue bulbs glowing! Love your card…thank you!
Great initiative. Love the floral card. Thanks for being a part of this noble cause. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for participating for this great cause. Your card is absolutely beautiful. Love the watercolor stripes- I have to try this technique.
Oh my gosh this is so beautiful 😍 made my jaw drop!! Your coloring is just gorgeous 💙
Beautiful card, thanks for helping raise awareness for autism
Stunning and beautiful card with a perfect sentiment.
Beautiful card and thanks for supporting autism!
Beautiful as always.
Thanks for bringing awareness to this worthy cause!
Beautiful floral card in lovely colours and I love the sentiment you choose. Thank you for supporting a great cause, I’ve been so lucky to be involved with autism all my teaching career and family life x
Beautiful
A wonderful card for a wonderful cause!
Beautiful card – I love the stamped sentiment on vellum
Wow! This is simply stunning!!! Gorgeous design, love the sentiment and your watercolor is fabulous ♥
The mix of stripes and florals is always a favorite of mine and this card is great!
stunning card – thanks for sharing:)
So beautiful! Love the flowers and the big blue watercolor lines on the background!
What a beauty! Thank you so much for participating in this worthy cause!
You painted your colors so beautifully. And the sentiment made me a little teary…
Stunning card! I love the sentiment. It’s perfect when talking about all children with special needs. Thanks for supporting Autism awareness!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful card and, thanks too, for participating in this wonderful effort to spread autism awareness throughout the entire paper crafting community.
Your card is gorgeous with such a fabulous sentiment! I love it! Thanks for participating in such a worthy cause!
Lovely card with a wonderful sentiment. Thanks for bringing attention to the autism community.
Beautiful card to go with an amazing sentiment!
Such a beautiful and detailed card.
Wow, beautiful flowers, love the striped bg and the vellum – gorgeous card! Thanks for supporting this great cause!
Your thoughtful comments help us to remember the parents and families of these special children…thank you
Such a lovely floral card – love the sentiment too.
Gorgeous watercoloring!! I love the sentiments in this set!!
Your watercoloring skill is awesome!
Soooo pretty Emily!
Beautiful card and thanks for supporting autism!
Beautiful. I like the silver embossing and the striped background.
I absolutely love you card! Thanks for making us more aware of autism.
Gorgeous card with a beautiful sentiment!
Light it up blue!
Beautiful card…Love the watercoloured background..Great sentiment.
Your water colored flowers make this card both beautiful and elegant. I also ❤️ the sentiment.
Beautiful and elegant! Love the watercoloring. The stripes look fantastic with the florals. I love the addition of the sequins-I just love bling! Love the sentiment too.
Emily, your card is gorgeous!! I love the flowers against the striped background. Stunning. Thank you for writing such a thoughtful, and heartfelt post. Seeing autism from a very personal point of view gives you a point of perspective that few have of what it means to live with autism. It also gives you a level of compassion and understanding that many don’t have. Thank you for your part in spreading autism awareness, and thank you for being a part of the Stamping For Autism Awareness Blog Hop! 💙🌸
Wow! Your card is totally gorgeous!!! Love the sentiment!!!
Beautiful card!
Beautiful card! Your flowers are so lovely, and the sentiment is perfect with your card design. So happy to see all the support for Autism awareness!
What an exquisitely beautiful card. The blue stripes create a perfect background for this special card. tfs
What I like about this card is that it also bring the loving mothers to mind
Lovely card, I especially like how you pulled it all together with the watercoloring!
Love your colors and use of vellum. Autism awareness rocks!
Such a lovely card, this sentiment is wonderful!
Thank you for sharing your card with us and for participation into this Blog Hop!
Kind regards from stempelfrida
love the vibrant watercolor & message
Your card is just stunning! I adore the watercolor background and flowers!! <3
Emily you have really have out done yourself! This is incredible!
Beautiful card! 🙂
Your watercoloring is so pretty! And those stripes are so crisp!!! I’m in awe 🙂
Thank you so much for being a part of this blog hop. Its so great that so many individuals in the crafting community is willing to support awareness. Love the new stamp set that is perfect for creating Autism cards. And the flowers you paired it with are beautiful! The card is stunning.
A beautiful card to spread a wonderful message of Autism Awareness. Thanks for the inspiration!
Pretty card! I love the stripes with the flowers.
Such a beautiful stamp set! https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-185X.1944.tb00301.x
Gorgeous card. Thanks for supporting this worthy cause.
I love your gorgeous floral card!! Thanks so much for supporting this important cause!
<3 J
jwoolbright at gmail dot com
HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com
Oh my, this card is just gorgeous and matches the sentiment perfectly.
Oh my goodness….what a beautiful card…..there is nothing that I do not love about it!
Gorgeous card, Emily. :o)
SQUEAL!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this AMAZING Card!! THANKS for supporting such an AMAZING Hop!! Have a FABULOUS WEEKEND!!