Lilac

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing an experiment. :)  I seem to say that just about every post. :)

I watched a video tutorial on a "new-to-me" technique and then gave it a try.  I'm happy how my lilac turned out.  Believe it or not, this is done with Q-Tips.  Fun, right??!!  :)

I started by watercolouring a green stem, just to get the basic length and size for my flower.  I diluted three colours of Stampin' Up! re-inkers by about half with water ...maybe a little more water than that.  Then I bundled up five q-tips, securing them with an elastic in the center, made a second bundle of three q-tips ... again securing with elastic, and then had a single q-tip.

I added colour to the flower, starting with the larger bundle and darkest purple ink (blackberry bliss).  As I moved up the flower, I used the smaller bundle with the medium purple (elegant eggplant) and then the lightest purple (wisteria wonder) more near the top.  I used the single q-tip to add a bit of variation through the whole flower.

I then hand painted the two leaves and shaded using different colours of Gansai Tambi watercolour paints.  To finish, I splattered both the green and dark purple over the card front and stamped the sentiment in the dark purple.  I used a waterbrush to move the ink of the sentiment to give it a more watercoloured look.

Here's the link to the video that I watched.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps:  Sentiment - The big, the bold, the happy (Winnie & Walter)
Paper:  Watercolour paper (Arches 140 lb. cold press)
Ink:  Re-inkers:  Blackberry Bliss, Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder (Stampin' Up!); Gansai Tambi watercolour paints
Accessories & Tools:  Paint brush, Q-tips

Colour Card Stock Watercolouring - Take Two

Hi everyone.  This is my second try watercolouring on coloured card stock.  I'm really happy with how this one has turned out.  You might remember me mentioning that I ended up fussy-cutting my first try HERE ... so you didn't end up seeing that I actually watercoloured on pink card stock. :)

I was inspired to try after seeing this beautiful card by Ishani.  Thanks for the inspiration Ishani!

I learned a few things trying this technique.  This is just my experience, but if you give this a try, I hope my hints will help.

- use light coloured card stock
- use card stock that is the same colour as the main part of your image
- heat embossing makes it easier to control the flow of water
- use a medium amount of water --- not too much, not too little - practice to learn the right amount for you
- wet a small area at a time and then float in some ink, moving the colour with a clean (no colour) wet brush to create shading
- one layer of ink is best.  Adding a second layer after the first is dry may result in the card stock pilling.

Here's a close-up ...

I hope to do more of this ... in-between all the other techniques I want to try. :)  I have a LOT of coloured card stock that sits and collects dust.  Maybe I can use some of it up (at least the lighter colours) with watered images. :)

Hope you'll give this a try!

Stamps:  Best Thoughts (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Bashful Blue (SU! - retired)
Ink:  Versamark:  Distress Inks:  Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Liquid Platinum Embossing Powder, Heat tool, paint brush

Winter Sky

Hi everyone.  Playing along with January Rudolph Days - Anything Goes.  The challenge is open every month between the 25th and end of month.  Hope you'll join in!

Made another cling wrap card. :)  This time I used Brushos with spray starch and cling wrap on cold press watercolour paper.  I find that the deeper colours work best with the w/c paper and Brushos.  This is a mixture of turquoise and ultra marine.  You can just make out some of the creases in the background.  Many are behind the "snow fall" of splattered white acrylic paint. :)

I die-cut a simple stand of trees from white card stock and stamped a sentiment at the bottom in Delicata silver ink.

Since I have snow on my Christmas card, I'm also entering the gallery at Merry Monday #274 - Crate a Christmas card with snow

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stamps:  Snowglobe Sentiments (My Favorite Things)
Paper:  Watercolour paper:  Arches 140 lb. cold press; White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Brushos:  Turquoise, Ultra Marine; Delicata silver ink (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  spray starch, cling wrap, Alpine Trees die (Memory Box), paint brush for splattering, white acrylic paint

Challenges:
January Rudolph Days - Anything Goes
Merry Monday #274

Smile

Hi everyone.  I've been way behind on my visiting of blogs I follow.  Life gets in the way sometimes.  Today I visited my friends Ina, Carol, and Bobby and saw the beautiful cards they made as Design Team members of Just Us Girls.  Ina is the host and she picked the colour challenge this week which is AWESOME!  I HAD to play along.  Thankfully the challenge is still open for another day! ;)

I started by die-cutting my poppies from hot press watercolour paper.  I watercoloured them with distress inks.  I combined Mustard Seed with just a little Peacock Feathers to create the green for the stems.  Then watercoloured the poppies, first with a layer of Mustard Seed with highlights of Spiced Marmalade.  I used an orange w/c pencil to add a bit of definition to the blooms.

The background is a dot stencil, randomly coloured with Peacock Feathers ink using a clarity brush.  I love the softness the brush adds to the stenciling.  Used a stylus and mat to shape the poppy blossoms and then adhered them over top of the stenciling, using pop dots behind some of the flowers to give them extra dimension.  Stamped a sentiment in more Peacock Feathers ink to finish the card.

Here's a close-up ...

I think these colours would make anyone smile.  It feels like spring is not far away. :)  Thanks for coming by for a visit!

Stamps:  Beautiful (AliExpress)
Paper:  Watercolour paper (Arches 140 lb. hot press); White card base (Neenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Peacock Feathers, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  paint brush, Mini Tiny Circles stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), Clarity Brush, Derwent Watercolour Pencils

Challenges:
Just Us Girls #424 - Teal, Mustard, Orange