I painted this card using the Heaven Sent set from Honey Bee with huge emotions running through me. This card connected with me and my youngest son on so many levels. When he was little, we used to read him the book Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney over and over again, so the ‘I love you to the moon and back’ sentiment struck a chord with me immediately. Add in that my son has two white rabbits as pets and I was already heavily invested in this set. I decided to paint the scene with more references to my son. Do you know the brand JellyCat? They have the dreamiest most adorable soft toys, and we bought him a starry blanket which he was so attached to. So much so we had to buy a second one just in case we lost the precious blanket. I hated to think of trying to get him to sleep without it! You can see a corner of this blanket in my photos, and the blanket inspired the babygrow the rabbit is wearing. On to the background and now at 14 my son has an interest in Physics and space, so I knew I had to combine my scene with a galaxy background. I’ve linked all supplies at the end of this post. Compensated affiliate links used.
I stamped the rabbit, moon and three stars from the Heaven Sent set in Antique Linen Distress Ink. I made sure the ink was dry and then covered the images with masking fluid which once dry protected these areas from paint. When the masking fluid was fully dry, I started on the background. I like to paint a galaxy background by painting a bright section through the sky and then bringing in deep blues and a little black around the edges. I used Daniel Smith watercolours, and you can find a dot sheet of my favourite colours here. The colours I used for this sky were Quinacridone Rose, Quinacridone Violet, Indanthrone Blue and Lunar Black. I dried the first layer and then painted a few conifers and a hill for the rabbit in Lunar Black. I then splattered liberally with White Gouache for a plentiful starry night sky.
Once the background was fully dry, I removed the masking fluid with an adhesive eraser and then painted the rest of the scene. For the rabbit’s baby grow I used Phthalo Blue Green Shade. Once I had a base layer down, I drew in pencil, stars using the Falling Stars stencil from Simon Says Stamp. I don’t know what it is about stars but if I try and freehand them they always turn out looking wonky! I then painted the stars in a deeper concentration of blue.
Once I’d finished painting the scene, I dried the panel fully again and then stamped the sentiment in clear embossing ink over the silhouette of the hill. I sprinkled with white embossing powder and then heat set before mounting the panel on an Ivory card base.
He may be 14, but my son still has his starry blanket and carefully took it back to his room after I took these photos, snuggling it as he went! He may be growing like a weed and will soon be taller than I am, but I haven’t lost the little boy in him quite yet.
SUPPLIES
You can find links to the supplies I’ve used below; click on the picture or shop icon to get taken directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my affiliate and product disclosure here. I genuinely appreciate your support.
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Summary of the project which gives all the views of the card in one photo :D I’d love if you pinned and called by on Pinterest :D
The card is lovely but the story is far more touching. I have a young grandson who still loves to sit on my lap and snuggle at age 9. He is getting big so fast and I treasure every single minute with him.
They always say they grow up so fast, but when you are in the thick of those early years you forget, and then before you know it they are 6ft 2 and away to University! I’ll be treasuring every moment with my teens.
Such a sweet bunny! Beautiful card!