1. Sketching
I wanted to create an animalistic or human character, and/or maybe something that would make a nice, festive greeting card.
I started with some ballpoint sketches:

Then I did some digital sketches in Photoshop Elements using my Wacom pen tablet

I picked one of the sketches and combined it with the idea of balloons:

2. Collaging
I imported Makiko's blue splatter texture and cut out a basic skeleton:

I added separate layers with cutouts of the dress, boots, and facial features:

I started playing around with colors and details.
Normally I tend to use bright colors, so I challenged myself to use softer ones this time.
For overall balance and coherence I limited myself to only a few colors:

I tweaked details and added balloons:

3. Final Result
I added sheen to the balloons and refined a couple of details.

I'm thinking about maybe turning this into a birthday card.
What do you guys think this would look fun on? Cards? Shirts? Or ...?
Thanks, Makiko, for a wonderful class!