Secret Garden
Posted: May 13, 2020 Filed under: Papertrey Inks, Penny Black, secret garden, subtle | Tags: Papertrey ink, Penny Black stamps 10 CommentsBefore I chit chat about today’s cards I just want to thank you for your feedback on my wreath card. I loved reading your kind words and thoughts on the sentiment question. In the end I left the front of the card sentiment free (I really didn’t want to mess it up!) and made a envelope out of watercolour paper onto which I will add roses and hand-lettering. When I do another wreath I will hand letter the sentiment first then proceed with the flowers, that way I won’t be afraid of messing up a finished wreath with a wonky letter. Now, back to our scheduled programming.
Last week I created a couple of abstract watercolour background panels to create coffee themed cards; I used the same approach for today’s floral cards. My method for creating the background was the same, I smooshed three colours of dye ink on my glass mat then spritzed them generously with water to make them move and blend a little. I had a large panel of hot pressed watercolour paper ready with some masking fluid already dotted over it. The colours I used were papertrey ink cubes lemon tart, enchanted evening and stormy sea (yellow, blue and grey).
I cut the panel into four and chose to work with stamps from the PB ‘secret garden’ clear set. My plan was to stamp the flowers in the same colours I used for the background, maybe use all three colours or just one or two. After fiddling around with some stamping I decided I liked just the flowers in the blue, stamped and restamped for paler impressions. I guess you’re not surprised I settled on blue, the lemon is very pretty but too pale to stand out and the grey was, well, not quite pretty enough.
Both floral stamps I chose had long skinny stems that I was able to rearrange on the lid of the MISTI to go in the directions I wanted. I did some water stamping too which just means misting the stamp with water and pressing it down on an inked area (the darker the better) and holding it there for a little longer than normal to let the water soak in then dabbing away the water to reveal a stamped ‘watermark’.
Once I had the flowers all stamped the panels still didn’t look quite finished so I turned to two elements I like to add when a card needs a little something. I used the PB ‘script’ stamp down the side of both panels in blue, grey and watermark then ran the panels through my diecutting machine with a rather cool embossing folder from Sizzix (sold by SU) called ‘subtle’. It gave the panels a canvas look. To add sentiments I used the ever useful ‘million thanks’ set and the lovely ‘SHE builder’ set both from Penny Black.
Supplies

What watery goodness, Heather! I love the loose look and the colors you chose! The generational stamping and stamping with water gives a wonderful look of depth and two beautiful cards!
What beautiful colors and stamping! You outdid yourself. 😊 I love doing backgrounds. Thanks for the motivation. Be safe.
They turned out beautiful. Love both.
These cards are so beautiful ! I love them !
Wow LOVE your cards!!
Both cards worked beautifully Heather and the colours look great..I especially love the touch of yellow and the canvas look using the embossing folder is just perfect. x
I love both these cards Heather, but especially the first one. The way the lemon and blue has smooshed on the background of your panel has the look of a cool, summer dawn about it. I think your limited colour palette always works well and this choice is sumptuous. I am awaiting delivery of this secret garden stamp set which I think has great potential for many techniques and now I can hardly wait for its arrival.Thanks for the inspiration.
WOW! This notification stays in my email until I try something like this. These are fabulous! The backgrounds are striking behind the silhouettes and love the stamping you included on the background, never overwhelming your main image. There is so much to take in when I look at these. Your techniques are truly incredible achieving such magnificent results.
Love your colour palette and soft layered backgrounds. Just lovely!
These are incredibly beautiful. Thank you for sharing the details.