Trail Blazer Card Directions...

I've created another card in order to give you step by step instructions to create this winning card...

First we'll start with the materials I used:

White Cardstock

CC Rubber Stamps Mountain Waterfall Template and tool

CC Rubber Stamps Reflection Stamp

Repeat Impressions flying mallard stamp

Paintbrush

Mini Sponges

Marker in a Dark Green - I used NE Ivy by CTMH

Staz On black ink

Distress Inks by Ranger in the following colors:

Spiced Marmalade

Mustard Seed

Broken China

Faded Jeans

Frayed Burlap

Other inks:

CTMH White Daisy

CTMH Topiary

SU! Night of Navy

Start by placing the cloud section of the stencil down on your white cardstock.  Use the large Sponge tool to rub both Broken China and Faded Jeans in an upward motion.  Move the Stencil over and continue until you get the righ amount of 'clouds'.

Flip the stencil over and use the "Mountain Side".  Rub the large Sponge tool off on a scrap piece of paper and then use Frayed Burlap and Topiary to add in some mountains. No need to make the mountains really dark, we'll darken them up a little later.  Continue the mountains across the page.  Also, make some mountains taller than others.

Using the Waterfall portion of the stencil, place it under the largest mountain (mine was the one on the left) and carefully rub on some more Frayed Burlap and Topiary.  There's no need to continue this across the page, we'll cover any imperfections later with the stamp.

See how light everything is.  No worries, we're going to go back over everything. 

Now take the Grass portion of the stencil (YES! All this is on the same stencil!) and start on the right and make it as high as the stencil will allow, move the stencil over to the left and make the grass smaller and smaller.

Now let's go back and darken things up.

Put the mountain portion of the stencil back over the area.  If you want a little bit of a shadow, you can move your stencil slightly too.  Use a small finger sponge to sponge on some Frayed Burlap.  It's darker and adds some depth and shadow to your project...

Rub the large sponge into the Broken China, Faded Jean and Night of Navy and rub over the area that will be the water.  Add some highlights with the same colors with a small sponge as well...

Soften some of the colors with a paint brush dipped in white pigment in.  This will add a little bit of a white foamy look at the bottom of the waterfall...

Clean up the top of the waterfall by putting the stencil back over the area and using the small sponge in some Frayed Burlap. 

Ink up your Reflection stamp in black Staz on and add to the right and a tiny bit to the left side of the card.  Add the landing mallard as well.  In Black Staz on.  I used New England Ivy to color in the mallard...

Add Spiced Marmalade with a small sponge.  Use a light touch.  Add this color just behind the mountains and in the valley's.  Also make sure you add a little to the water.  Use the paint brush to add some Mustard Seed to the scene.  Add some to the water, on top of the orange and pulling it out into the clouds.

After that, you're done!  I added the Quote in the photo with PhotoShop.  But you could just as easily print it on there with your home printer.   Here's the slight difference from the card I submitted and the card I created for the tutorial.  The one I created for the contest is on the bottom.

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial.  Thank you again for your votes!