Wednesday, October 07, 2026

Watercoloured Mountain Range

Hi everyone.  I'm back with another watercoloured card following a video.  I recently started following a talented US Artist, Alyssa Whetstone.  She has a LOT of videos with easy to follow instructions.  She also includes a lot of tips on watercolouring.  The above card is my attempt at following one of her videos on Complementary Colours (opposites on the colour wheel).  This range is done with only two colours of watercolour paints (yellow and purple).  All the mountain ranges in-between the top and the bottom, are done combining the two colours, each with different values of both colours to allow the ranges to darken as they come forward in the painting. :)  

This is my first attempt.  Hopefully I will improve as I practise more. :)  The yellow at the top is much lighter in real life, but my camera seems to have trouble capturing the true yellow.

This is also my first attempt at adding linework.  Another thing I tried from the video.  It is so much fun! :)  I hope you like the card. 

Close-up ...
Sending this card to the following challenges:
Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  N/A
Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Cold Press W/C Paper (Arches 140 lb.)
Ink:   Liquid Concentrate Watercolor Paints (Blick Art Materials); Black Pigment (Obsidian - Altenew)
Accessories:   Watercolour Paint Brushes, Uni Pin Black Fineliner Size 1.0

Challenges:
Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 1 - Inks / Paints



Saturday, October 03, 2026

October CAS Mix Up Challenge

Hi everyone.  The challenge at CAS Mix Up this month is Blackout Embossing (also known by other names).  It's a combination of dry embossing, colouring, and direct to stamp inking.


To create my card above, I dry embossed with Layered Leaves Embossing folder (SU!) with a piece of Cold Press Watercolour paper (Arches).  I smooshed the debossed side with Liquid Concentrate Watercolours (Blick Art Materials) randomly with three colours (yellow, orange, pink).

Once my panel was dry, it was placed inside the same folder, lining up the images.  You can feel by pressing lightly that they fit back into position.  Ran it through my embossing machine to redefine the embossing that might be lost when watercolouring.  

I used a Walnut Stain Distress Oxide pad to swipe over the raised areas.  The colour looks more gray/brown to me and I love how it works with the colours of the leaves.  I believe using black ink would have made the colours pop even more.  Next time ... :)

Out of a single card front, I was able to get three CAS cards ... the one above, and two more below. :)
 
Sending this card to the following challenges:
NBUS Challenge #91 - first time using my Walnut Stain Distress Oxide Ink 


I hope you'll come join us for this fun technique.  Hope to see you in the CAS Mix Up gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Heartfelt (Penny Black); Cosmos (Technique Tuesday); Heartfelt (Penny Black)
Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Cold Press W/C  (Arches 140 lb.)
Ink:   Liquid Concentrate Watercolours (Blick Art Materials); Walnut Stain Distress Oxide Ink (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Layered Leaves Embossing folder (SU!), water mister
Techniques:  Dry Embossing, Smooshing, Direct to Paper Inking

Thursday, October 01, 2026

October CAS Christmas Challenge

Hi everyone.  This month the CAS Christmas Challenge is hosted by Colleen.  And she has chosen Poinsettia. :)


This card is the made with the Penny Black 3D Poinsettia embossing folder.  I ran it through my embossing machine with a piece of cold press watercolour paper.  Watercoloured the Poinsettia with Distress Reinkers and die cut using the matching die.  It's such a large image that I split it into two and made two cards.  It's a great way to build your stash of Christmas cards. :) 

I used a snowflake embossing folder for the background panel, popping it up on my card front and adding a sentiment banner (Penny Black - Christmas Sentiments).

Close-up ... 
Sending the above card to the following challenges:
Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes - I watercoloured an embossed image
CCC26OCT - SCS Christmas Challenge
Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Christmas Sentiments (Penny Black)
Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Cold Press W/C paper (Arches 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Reinkers:  Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey (Tim Holtz); Distress Oxide Inks:  Candied Apple (for stamping sentiment)
Accessories:   3D Poinsettia embossing folder (Penny Black), 3D Poinsettia cut out (Penny Black), watercolour paint brushes, Snowflake embossing folder (Cuttlebug)
Techniques:  Dry Embossing, watercolouring, die-cutting


Guest Designing at AAA Birthday Cards

Hi everyone.  I'm thrilled to be Guest Designing at AAA Birthday Card Challenge:  Game #90 - Big and Bold.  Thanks so much Jane and team!
  
 

I do love this time of year.  Fall cards are fun to make. :)

For today's card I started with a background I had in my stash (smooshed liquid concentrate watercolours in Pink and Orange - Blick Art Materials).  I used a large stamp overtop, Crackle Background (Simon Says Stamp), stamping in Vintage Photo Distress ink.  To add the last layer, I used the Peeking Sunflower stencil from STAMPlorations.  I pressed my versamark ink pad over the stencil, sprinkled with Fired Brick Distress Glaze, and then heat set.  You can still see the stamped design in the background, even with the glaze heat embossed over top.  It's awesome!  To finish, I added "on your birthday" sentiment on the inside. :)

Close-up ...
I hope you'll join us for at AAA Birthday Cards Challenge:  Game #90 - Big & Bold.  The challenge is open all month, so there's lots of time to play along.  Hope to see you in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Crackle Background (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Pink and Orange Liquid Watercolor Concentrate (Blick Art Materials); Vintage Photo Distress Ink (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories:   Peeking Sunflower sencil (STAMPlorations), Fired Brick Distress Glaze (Tim Holtz), heat tool

Challenges: