NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A CUP OF COFFEE!!

I created the collage below for a client from handmade papers and a few "found" paper images. My favorite colors are jewel tones, so the finished collage I showed her was in those bright colorful hues. Although she liked the collage, she was disappointed with the colors, saying she had been hoping for something with more earth tones. (Doing commissions as an artist is a form of mind-reading I swear). I took it home, quite stumped. I didn't think I could start another one from scratch in the right colors for her. When I explained this to a fellow artist, he commented that in the Middle East, both coffee and tea were considered art mediums. His recommendation was to soak the whole thing in coffee and see what happened.....?????!!!!!  Well, I did just that, and it toned down the jewel colors wonderfully and added earthy hints. When I showed it to the client, she raved about how much she loved it now. I never did tell her I had poured a cup of cold coffee on it. LOL :-)