Psychedelic Watercolor Seattle

I bought a Space Needle die from Savvy dies while my sister was visiting last month and thought it would work well for the watercoloring impressed dies tutorial from class.  I partially impressed the Needle then impressed a Memory Box Cityscape Nightline die over it.  Turned out perfectly after a couple of trial runs.

I went over the buildings a few times to get a look I was satisfied with.  A single color per building seemed drab so I mixed it up more to look like everything bled into each other.  Well, I guess it did that anyway but I helped it along quite a bit.

The sentiment is also from my sister's visit.  I got both at Impress stamp shop down in Tukwila.  The only time I go down that way is when I'm airporting it but it would be worth an exclusive visit. 

Oh, right.  The card on the bottom was my original one-layer intent but the sentiment seemed way too bold so I mounted it on black cardstock to tie it all together.  Better!

The Details:  Tim Holtz watercolor paper and distress inks, Versamark black onyx, Savvy Space Needle die, Memory Box Cityscape Nightline die, Impress sentiment, Pop Tone black licorice cardstock

I'm entering this in Less is More #173 Diecut and Paper Crafting  #10 My Faves (Distress inks!)

Watercolor Bubble Birthday

One last watercolor card before our class galleries close.  Such amazing work from my classmates.  I'm so glad we get to come back to the class for a refresher whenever we want.  A girl can only absorb so much inspiration in a day!  ;-)

For this one, based on the current CAS(E) this Sketch!, I freehand colored some balls/balloons/bubbles in a variety of fun colors and sizes.  I diecut the birthday from a practice watercolor panel from day 1 (2?) and mounted on 2 additional diecut layers.  I spattered some blue confetti and stamped a simple Happy above the sentiment to finish the card off.  Oh, yeah, I added Shimmer Spritz for some glam.

The Details:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks, PTI sentiment and die, Pop Tone black licorice cardstock, Versafine black onyx, Sheer Shimmer Spritz

I'm entering this in Seize the Birthday, CAS(E) this Sketch! #77, and Shopping Our Stash #152 Happy Birthday

Watercolor Class Bonus Day -- Stained Glass

I received a few new flower stamps today so was able to play with another technique shown on the bonus day:  faux stained glass using vellum and watercolors.

My first attempt is the card with the single flower.  I used white embossing powder which wasn't fine enough to capture the detail in the leaves--it occurred to me afterwards that I could have not stamped the centers.  I dry embossed the panel beneath the vellum but found it really difficult to capture that on film.  I used Picked Raspberry for the centers to about the middle of the petals then used Mustard Seed from the edge of the petals in to get a really nice blend.  I used the ink straight from the pad without water.  Really easy.

For the second card I wanted to use the right side again but my attempt to remove the embossing didn't pan out.  The Versamark sticky remained although the embossing powder came off just fine.  I flipped it over and used the smooth side.  I added the sentiment with Memento Rich Cocoa straight up (no embossing--this is an inkjet vellum so absorbs ink fairly well as long as you let it dry a moment unlike my first attempt).  Stitching and a sprinkling of champagne sequins finished her off. 

Speaking of sequins.  I dropped another container of sequins and was quickly pushed aside by Frankie who was feeling peckish.  He even nipped at me when I started to pick them up.  Um, addiction, anyone?

The Details:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks, WorldWin Photo Inkjet Vellum, Memento Cocoa Brown, Versafine Onyx Black, Imagine white embossing powder, Versamark, Hampton Art clear embossing powder, PTI sentiment and kraft cardstock

I'm entering the first card in CASology Flower, Charisma Cardz #11 May Flowers, Make My Monday Nature and Penny Black Saturday Fav PB Stamp

Watercolor Class Day 11 - Thanks, Tim!

Tim Holtz had a video for us on Day 11 about using the negative space of a stencil to create a neat watercolor background.  I didn't have mini Distress Inks but sponging it worked just fine.  Note to self:  spritz only enough water for the ink to bead up; more water = muddy mess.  Oh, also, press and dab the paper towel; don't sweep it across the stencil as you pick up the excess ink while pressing down to transfer the color!!!

This was a very quick and fun way to stretch your inks and stencils.  Who doesn't like that?

The Details:  Heidi Swapp stencil, Tim Holtz watercolor paper and Distress Inks, Hero Arts sentiment, star sequins, Versafine onyx ink, Pop Tone black licorice cardstock, Glossy Accents as glue

I'm entering this in Inkspirational #56 Photo Challenge (colors & uplifting feel), Curtain Call Pajama Party (colors, patterns and fun feel), Jellypark Bold & Bright  

Watercolor Meadow, Day 9, Take 2

I gave the spatter technique another go.  I semi-masked off the sky so it didn't get so spattered.  Except for the blue--love that sky.

Ha!  I just noticed that even my computer screen has ink on it and that's a good 3 feet away from the spatter zone.  Dude!

The Details:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks and watercolor paper, Memory Box butterflies, PTI cardstock, Hero Arts Everyday Sayings, foam tape, Glossy Accents (as glue)

I'm entering this in CASology Flower, Less is More Flowers, Charisma Cardz #11 May Flowers, Make My Monday Nature

Watercolor Class Day 9, Take 1

Spattered and dabbed and blobbed my own little meadow with a stand of lupine.  Maybe a better pic when the sun comes back--we're in for some gloomy rain so it's gotten quite dreary this evening.  Love, love, love the background wash.


The Details:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks and watercolor paper, Versafine Onyx Black, Papertrey Ink sentiment and cardstock

I'm entering this in  Charisma Cardz #11 May Flowers and Make My Monday Nature

Watercoloring Class Day 6, Again

This didn't turn out like I had in my head.  I wonder if it's the ink.  I used an ink from like 10 years ago called Ancient Page.  It's amazingly juicy considering I haven't used it in a coon's age.  Darn it all.  Now that I look at it, it says it's waterproof.  Um, could that be why it didn't blend as well as I imagined.  ;-P  I'll definitely have to try this card again.

I like the layout and using one stamp to create the look of a full bouquet.  The butterflies? I added those on after I decided I didn't like the enamel dots I'd put on there.  Lesson:  enamel dots are surprisingly hard to rip off and trying to watercolor over the boo boos just doesn't cut it because those areas act like ink sponges.  Thus, butterflies.

Also, I like how the 1" wide flat brush works when applying a background wash.

The Details:  Penny Black Blooming Garden stamp, Ancient Page and Distress Inks, Memory Box butterflies, Tim Holtz watercolor paper, painter's tape to mask the edges

I'm entering this in Colour Q #242, Paper Players #193 Ann's CAS Floral, Charisma Cardz #11 May Flowers  

Watercoloring a Stamped Image

I am so pleased with how this turned out--look at those pots!  All watercolor using Distress Inks with a touch of Memento for additional greens.  I think I'll do this one again where the pots, with a background color bleeding into nothing above, form the front of the card and the sentiment goes inside.

As for the edges, I accidentally dropped a sponge from a different experiment on the edge of the sentiment so decided to go around the edges with Antique Linen to hide it and liked the effect so much did it on the herbs too.

Took me a while to figure out a layout that felt right. Organic.  This reminds me of the colors of our guest bathroom.  LOL.

I will mention here that I used Artist's Loft 140 lb watercolor paper for this one.  It's very inexpensive (24 9x12" sheets for something like $4 with a Michael's coupon) so a good option to practice before tackling the more expensive (and lovely white) Tim Holtz paper.

The Details:  Distress Inks, Memento (Bamboo Leaves I think or maybe Northern Pine or both), Hero Arts Cup O Joe (love this dark brown), Artist's Loft 140 lb watercolor paper, PTI kraft cardstock, Stampin' up stamps, hemp twine, Martha Stewart branch punch, Darice embossing folder

I'm entering this in City Crafter #212 What's Cooking, Addicted to Stamps #96 Anything Goes, Make My Monday Nature, Sister Act #57 Anything Goes, Penny Black & More Anything Goes, Simon Wednesday Die Crazy, Addicted to CAS #38 Off the Edge

Masking with Rubber Cement

Day 2 watercolor class homework which talks about creating a background wash and using rubber cement or liquid frisket to cover a stamp image so the watercolor doesn't bleed into it.  I used rubber cement.  It was odd painting that onto paper but I encountered no problems and it rubbed right off.  Oh, yeah, that thing where she tells you to wait until the watercolor is dry before rubbing the cement off--so very true.  I ended up with some friction balls on the paper on my first attempt. Impatient?  Moi?

I'm enjoying my new craft room layout where my sewing machine is now always at the ready.  More stitching in the future I hope!

The Details:  Simply Art watercolor paints, Penny Black Blooming Garden stamp, Hero Arts With Sympathy sentiment, Memento Tuxedo Black, Elmer's rubber cement, PTI pink and kraft cardstock, Artist's Loft 140 lb watercolor paper

I'm entering this in Tuesday Throwdown #195 Spring Blossoms, Penny Black Anything Goes, Addicted to Stamps & More #95 photo inspiration, Papertake Weekly Pretty Pastels, Virginia's View Stitching.

Watercolor Poppies--Watercolor Class Day 5+

For this card I stamped the image in black Versafine then used watercolor paints--just a cheap $6 set from Amazon--for the flowers.  The blue background is Distress Ink watered down and applied with a brush in layers. I didn't bother masking anything off, just semi-avoided overlapping the tumbled glass ink over the flowers.  For the water droplets, I  touched the brush with a bit of plain water on the paper rather than spattering since I didn't want the flowers to have that effect.  I really love this card--bold and soft at the same time.

The Details:  Simply Art watercolor paints, black Enamel Accents, Imagine white embossing powder, Colorbox white pigment ink, Distress Tumbled Glass ink, PopTone black cardstock, Tim Holtz watercolor paper (smooth side), Penny Black Blooming Garden stamp, WPlus9 Fanciful Feathers sentiment

I'm entering this in Less is More #172 Flowers, Tuesday Throwdown #195 Spring Blossoms, Penny Black Anything Goes       

Watercolor Card Redux

I took the one-layer card from my last post and made it into a layered card after trying to iron it flat.  Next time I use this technique, I'll tape it down before I start.  And how could I not do another?  I love how the colors mix and change as you layer.

The black edge really pulls the card together, doesn't it?  I wonder if I looked back at my cards, would black be my most used card base besides white?

Watercolor class day 1 or is it 2

Am I behind on class homework or what?  It was my first time using Distress Inks--really like how well they work with water.  The paper bubbled up quite a bit so I will try to iron it.  And next time taping it down.  This used the textured side of Tim Holtz watercolor paper.   Love that it's thick enough for a one layer card.

The background reminded me of a hill with sunset so I turned a branch on its side for the tree to avoid covering up too much of the background.   Would like to try emboss resist with same stamps and techniques.

Posting from my phone is weird but time efficient.

The Details:  Inkadinkado branch, Stampin' Up grass, Versafine in black, Distress Ink

I'm entering this is addicted to CAS off the edge,  KIS Watercolor, Addicted to stamps CAS

Airing Not So Dirty Laundry

Is there anything better than clean laundry?  Very little!  Especially when we have the luxury of washers and dryers.  I can remember my mom when I was very young having one of those washboards with the corrugated metal section.  I don't recall her using it although my sister and I used it as a musical instrument.  I'm sure that was fun for everyone in the house.  LOL.

I colored the image with Spectrum Noirs then use a pierced rectangle die to cut it out.  I used a larger pierced die impression-style in the back for added interest.  The card was too plain without.  Then all done with some foam tape and a sentiment. So "clean" and simple.  ;-)

The Details:  PTI white cardstock, Crafter's Companion cardstock, MFT pierced rectangles dies, Memento Tuxedo Black, Spectrum Noirs, Lockhart laundry basket stamp, Stampabilities Definitions sentiment

I'm entering this in:  Sweet Stampin' No DP, Simon Wednesday Anything Goes, Colour Me #18 5 Colors, CASology #93 Electric