Watercolour leaves

There is plenty of snow outside now but I have slipped back into a fall colour scheme to try out this technique. I painted the word in masking fluid with a small paintbrush on watercolour paper. I then used two leaves from With Gratitude, a few colours and a water spritzer to dampen both the stamp and the paper. I sponged a bit of brown and green before peeling off the masking fluid.

This is a second card for the Just One Word challenge at Less is More.

Supplies:

Stamps: With Gratitude (SU)
Inks: Summer sun, Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi, Close to Cocoa, Old Olive
Cardstock: MFP Watercolor card
Also: Windsor & Newton Masking fluid

Take one, take two

I have missed stamping during the last few busy weeks so  the sketch at Less is More was a nice way to get back into it this weekend. The sketch features a square card base but I think a little artistic license is allowed so my cards are rectangular.

My first attempt didn’t make it into this post but the one below is similar.  I masked a rectangle in the top left corner and rolled some music notes across it.  I added colour by sponging and then removed the mask.  My intention was to stamp two leaves, one falling onto the coloured panel and one falling off.  When I dropped the stamp onto the top left hand edge I had to add another leaf, then another to balance and before long leaves fell down the whole card.

My second card is not a one layer but it is more to my liking. I did the same sponging and musical notes on a panel but added a larger gold leaf and then popped it up on stampin’ dimensionals. Now that I have had a chance to stamp again I also need to get back to my intention to accept Susan’s challenge to send thank you cards to loved ones before Thanksgiving.  None sent yet…so that shouldn’t be too hard to improve on!

Supplies:

Stamps: With Gratitude, Kind Thanks, Music notes roller (SU)
Inks: Encore gold, Apricot Appeal, Ruby Red, Real Rust, Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Flourishes Classic Ivory
Also: Gold Glory e.p.

Golden leaves

This week’s challenge at Less is More is to use something metallic.   I am reluctant to admit it but there are golden leaves falling in my back yard already.

I decided to use gold embossing powder and ink to add a metallic touch to my card. First I masked then stamped the leaf twice in gold ink.  Then I got distracted by something on the computer as you do. I don’t know how long I was away from the card but when I came back to it the gold ink had dried to really hold much embossing powder. I heated it anyway then brayered over the leaves with summer sun and old olive.  There wasn’t enough rich colour with just the green and yellow so I switched to sponging and added some pumpkin pie. To finish I removed the masks and stamped two more leaves and embossed them immediately.

I hope you weekend is delightful.

Supplies:

Stamps: With Gratitude (SU)
Inks: Encore gold, Old Olive, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie
Cardstock: Flourishes Classic Ivory
Also: Gold Glory e.p.

Card makeover 1

I mentioned in the last couple of posts that I had cast several cards aside because they didn’t work  for some reason.  They did not, however end up in the garbage, I photographed them and put them in the makeover pile as there was something in them worth saving.

The card above is the made over card.  The card below is the rejected one. It was  the reject that I was happiest with, the one that almost made the cut as it was, but it had a few issues.  One was the badly stamped sentiment and the other was the edge of the sponging.  I wish I had softly diminished the sponging instead of using a mask to create a line.

In the makeover I just used the leaf panel, sliced into three and popped up. Slicing is a very helpful technique to apply when making over a card.  I was going to use a white card base but, inspired by Susan Raihala’s commitment to use up more of her coloured cardstock, I reached for a coloured card instead.  I definitely do have plenty of coloured cardstock lounging around.

That is the first of the makeovers, the others will be harder to do as the rejects were not as pretty as this one!

Supplies:

Stamps: With Gratitude, Simple Sayings 2 (SU)
Inks: Versamark, Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke
Cardstock: Flourishes Classic White, Certainly Celery
Also: White e.p.

Less is More challenge 6: Off the Edge

The challenge at Less is More this week is a One Layer Card which includes stamping off the edge.  I often stamp off the edge of my cards so you would think I could whip one of these out quickly.  Sadly it took three attempts before I had something I was happy with.  I have a growing pile of “blunders” that I have to turn into something attractive.

I masked with post-it notes leaving a long thin panel to stamp on.  Before sponging I stamped the leaf four times, some without reinking. Then I sponged in four colours and removed the masks.  I added the sentiment and three more leaves to complete the card.  Who knows why I am stamping fall colours just as spring is appearing?

Supplies:

Stamps: With Gratitude, Thoughts & Prayers (SU)
Inks: Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, Close to Cocoa
Cardstock: Flourishes Classic Ivory

Falling leaves

We are in the midst of falling leaves at our place.  The back yard contains several very large trees and the falling leaves continue for a couple of months.  I decided to cut a leaf shaped mask for this card; I don’t often cut shaped masks; I’m a bit lazy, but this leaf is not too fiddly.  I applied the ink randomly with markers directly onto the stamp and then stamped four leaves moving the mask to create some overlapping.  I then sponged and added the sentiment before matting in chocolate chip.

Thanks for dropping by.

Supplies:

Stamps: Graceful Words, With Gratitude
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie
Cardstock: Flourishes Classic Ivory, Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango

Autumn leaf CASE

Every week Brigitte (AKA Biggan on Splitcoast) creates absolutely gorgeous and original cards.  I was inspired by a this card and this card to create  two more autumn leaf cards of my own.

To create the mustard  coloured leaf I used versamark and tangerine tango then embossed in clear.  I’m not sure why it looks so much like mustard rather than tangerine.  I then used markers, ink and an aqua painter to create the watercolour fill. The leaf is cut out and popped up on two mattes.  The card base was embossed using the SU Flourish textures plate.

I used same techniques to create this one but did not cut out the leaf; I popped up the embossed layer instead.  The colours around Ottawa are absolutely beautiful this year providing plenty of inspiration.  I hope you are enjoying autumn where you are, or spring of course if you are in the southern hemisphere.

Supplies:

Stamps: With Gratitude
Inks: Versmark, Tangerine Tango, Ruby Red, Riding Hood Red, Cherry Cobbler, Cranberry Crisp
Cardstock: Flourishes Classic Ivory,  Riding Hood Red,  More Mustard
Also:  Gold Organza ribbon