County Fair

County Fair season will be here before we know it!  The summer seems to fly by once the weather warms up!
With fond memories of our county fair, I put this card together using stamps from Artistic Outpost's Country Life!
I stamped the barn scene first using Espresso ink on white card stock.   Then I masked it and stamped the boy.  I colored all parts with watercolors. I would usually use watercolor paper but didn't this time.  I had in mind to use Distress inks for coloring when I stamped it.  The trick with regular card stock is not to get it too wet or it starts to pill......I dab off the moisture as I work with a paper towel.
The pig, flags and "county fair" ticket were stamped separately and cut out.  I created the 1st place ribbon with Spellbinders Pinking Circles SM #1 die and the #1 die from Blossom Two.  I free hand cut the ribbon tails. I added a little metal number that I had in my stash.
I used my burlap again to emboss the reddish background mat....I love the texture it creates!  I rubbed Distress Fired Brick and Aged Mahogany inks over it to really accentuate the texture!  I used Distress Stormy Sky on the blue card stock for my card front.
A little twine across the bottom adds to the country feel!  I stamped "country life" on a piece of craft stick that I simply broke to size.  I added a touch of watercolor to "stain" it which also made the stamping wash out a bit.  Seemed appropriate for this card!
My favorite part?  The little pig.  He is just the cutest!

Supplies:
Artistic Outpost Country Life
Watercolors
White, royal blue card stock
Bazzill - blue, dk rust, brown
White, blue card stock
Metal "1"
Wood craft stick
Thin Twine