CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Heat It Up

This month's technique hop is featuring heat embossing!  If you've never tried it (or even if you have), heat embossing is practically magical.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Kim's blog.  From here, you'll visit Lauren next.)

I ended up making two similar panels because I didn't like the first (bottom) one, but decided to share both because they are (in my opinion) both pretty after all!

To begin, I stamped the flowers and leaves from the Yesterday & Today Cardmaking set with Versamark ink and then sprinkled white embossing powder all over, then I used my heat tool to melt/set the powder to a slick, shiny white finish.

For the first panel, I painted watercolors and then stamped the sentiment in Candy Apple, but I thought the painting was too dark and set it aside. 

 I repeated the process but then sponged Canary and Candy Apple ink over my heat embossed images.  With either the paint or the ink, but sure to buff the colored areas with a tissue or paper towel to pull the media off of the embossed images.

The inked version is much softer than the watercolor.  Now that they are both dried, I can't decide which I like better, so I will finish the watercolor panel by mounting it on Canary from the Mixed-In paper pack with a band of Candy Apple card stock then embellish with white & gold ribbon and gold gems.

Which do you like better?  The more vibrant watercolor or the lighter sponged ink?  Thanks for visiting!  Please leave a comment before hopping over to Lauren's blog to continue!