Peacock Feathers

Posted: February 27, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Botanical Script, Brusho, Feathers | Tags: , , , , , | 4 Comments

I decided to try a couple of methods for colouring a peacock feather stamp, my first experiment with the ‘Feathers’ set from Darkroom Door. I look forward to trying all of them eventually but the gorgeous colours of the peacock feather prompted me to pick that one first.The colouring on this first card was zig clean colour real brush markers directly on the stamp. I used the stamping platform so I could add one colour at a time. I blended the centre a little with a brush to get solid colour then spritzed the stamp with interference gold pearl-ex spray and stamped over the marker image. This gave everything a little shimmer and blended the colours into each other a bit. My pearl-ex spray is homemade; I add a small amount (about 1/8 tsp into a small spritzer filled with water). I stamped ‘thanks’ over the feather with majestic blue versafine then embossed with clear powder. The border panel looks black but is actually blue to co-ordinate with the centre of the feather and the sentiment.

My second colouring method was brusho. I spritzed the stamp with the same gold pearl-ex spray then stamped on hot pressed watercolour paper. I dropped a tiny amount of ultramarine brusho at the top of the feather, also a little turquoise then olive green down the shaft of the feather then stamped again to activate the brusho with pearl-ex spray. I embossed a birthday sentiment in gold and framed the panel in gold shimmer cardstock.

My final colouring method was with Sakura Koi colouring brush pens. I kept the stamp in the stamping platform so I could ink then stamp a colour at a time. The Sakura pens are very bright so I thought they were a good match for the gorgeous colours of peacock feathers.

Once again I stamped the colours one or two at a time so I could keep the centre of the feather distinct. Once I had stamped both feathers I spritzed the gold pearl-ex spray over the whole panel which ended up doing two things: the barbs softened to look a little ‘hairy’ and the droplets of spray created a pattern of watermarks over the ‘eye’ of the feather.

I ended up using majestic blue versafine ink again to add a sentiment from ‘botanical script’ set and cut a mat  in the same colour. This card also has a slight shimmer to it so I added a gold cord for a finishing touch.

Supplies

Stamps: Happy Birthday, Thank you, Feathers, Botanical Script

Inks: Versamark, Majestic Blue Versafine

Markers:  Zig clean color real brush markers, Koi Coloring Brush Pens

Paint: Brusho (ultramarine, turquoise, olive green)

Paper: hot pressed watercolour paper, blue cardstock, gold shimmer cardstock

Also: stamping platform, gold embossing powder, clear embossing powder, gold cord, pearl-ex interference gold spray

Pencil tulips

Posted: February 23, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: tulip bouquet | Tags: , , , , | 7 Comments

I had fun with a few new techniques and products when creating this card. Those white spots on the kraft cardstock are not paint splats even though they look a bit like I spilt something on my panel. I sprayed some minc reactive mist onto a kraft panel then ran it through the minc with white foil. I realise I could have used white gesso or paint but the thing I like about the foiling in this instance is that it has no texture or bulk so stamping over it was easy.

I stamped the Penny Black ‘tulip bouquet’ stamp in the corner and part of a sentiment from the PB ‘choose happy’ set both in versafine onyx black ink then started colouring. Since I began teaching my pencil colouring technique class I have had pencils within reach most of the time. I grabbed a couple of prismacolor pinks, a green and a polychromos white to colour the tulips and leaves. The antique hemp twine seems to be popping up on quite a few cards too; it’s not too thick to knot or tie in a bow and it blends in with most colour schemes and especially kraft cardstock. To add a little interest to my white card base I gave it an all-over texture treatment by running it through the die-cutting machine several times with the new ‘rows of stitches’ die from Penny Black.

I really enjoyed reading the responses to my last card – the one with the clever black brusho design. Some of you have already experienced the joy of black brusho and others are now wanting to try it. I’d love to see your creations if you do try it; please leave me a comment or use the contact me option.

Supplies

PB Stamps: tulip bouquet, choose happy

PB Die: rows of stitches

Ink: versafine onyx black ink

Paper: kraft

Pencils: prismacolor 925, 930, 911, polychromos 101

Also: minc reactive mist, white foil, minc

How clever is black brusho?

Posted: February 21, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: cheesecloth | Tags: , , | 23 Comments

I am sharing this card over on The Foiled Fox blog today. It’s a simple one but I think, a clever one. And by clever I’m not talking about my artistic skills; I’m talking about the wonder of black brusho. If you have some brusho paint and you’ve been avoiding the black container then you are missing out! You can see in the close up below black is made up of a bunch of different colours and this cheesecloth stamp from My Favorite Things keeps those colours divided like tiles.

You can find my step by step process on The Foiled Fox blog and my supply list below. Thanks for dropping by; now go and play with your black brusho!

Edited to add: sadly this stamp is no longer available but you can find an equally fabulous mesh stamp here.

Supplies

Stamp: Cheese cloth background (MFT)

Die: Birthday (PB)

Ink: versamark

Paint: black brusho

Paper: hot pressed watercolour paper, navy cardstock, orange cardstock

Also:

Woodlands

Posted: February 20, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: French Script, Woodgrain, Woodlands | Tags: , , , , | 4 Comments

I had a lovely time with this new photo stamp from Darkroom Door. It’s called Woodlands and was perfect for creating an autumn scene, a winter scene and a sunset. Step by step instructions and a complete list of supplies are available on the Darkroom Door blog

The autumn scene involved brayering and distress inks.

The sunset features the bright hues of colorburst powders over embossing.

The winter scene below, which might be my favourite, was painted with distress inks.

I used a cool technique with a stamp positioner to get a layer of snow on the branches; if you’re interested pop over to Darkroom Door and check it out.

Lilacs video tutorial

Posted: February 19, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: lilacs, Tutorial | Tags: , , | 12 Comments

I am excited to share not only these pretty new stamps today but a video tutorial as well! I know, it is hard to believe.

https://youtu.be/2_jWpSfm7Dk

I created this card using a technique I love to use with brushstroke stamps: watercolour with distress stains. I generally use the dauber topped distress stains but as they are being discontinued I thought I would try applying stain with a paint brush. It adds another step in application but the end result is just as pretty.

I filmed this video and a couple more with my son’s new camera which I am still getting used to so there are some focusing issues where the camera chooses to focus on my hand instead of the panel. I didn’t think it was enough of a problem to start again so I hope it isn’t too annoying. You get to see me drop my paintbrush with stain on it in the middle of the panel and come up with a quick fix too. I hope you enjoy the video and get to do some creating of your own.

Thanks for dropping by.

Supplies

Stamps: lilacs, grateful heart

Distress stains: shaded lilacs, wilted violet, bundled sage, peeled paint

Inks: Spanish moss versafine ink
Paper: hot pressed watercolour, neenah natural white

Tools: MISTI

Floral medley

Posted: February 16, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: floral medley | Tags: , , | 7 Comments

Sweet Spring has arrived, on the Penny Black blog that is! Sweet Spring is Penny Black’s brand new release and as you can imagine it’s full of flowers. I’ve been having fun using some of my favourite techniques to colour those flowers so let’s take a look at today’s blooms. This big stamp is called ‘flower medley’ and I’ve paired it with a new sentiment from the ‘grateful heart’ set. (list and links below)

I embossed the flower medley stamp on hot pressed watercolour paper with white powder then used my watercolour pencils to paint in and around all the leaves and flowers. The embossing keeps everything contained so I was able to pick up colour from my pencils with a waterbrush, paint a petal or leaf then drop in more of the same colour for some depth or a different colour to create some blended areas. Once all the flowers and leaves were coloured I painted around them all with a grey watercolour pencil.

Next I used a trick I occasionally employ to flatten my watercoloured panels. I turned on my minc, popped the panel inside a folded piece of computer paper and ran it through the minc on a low heat setting. It ironed my panel nicely but also melted and removed some of the embossing. If I had used an embossing powder with some colour or shine then I wouldn’t have wanted it to disappear but clear or white embossing just masks the white paper underneath so melting it off didn’t change my design at all. The panel ended up very smooth so I was able to overlap the floral design with a sentiment stamped in versafine smokey gray ink. I matted the panel with co-ordinating pink cardstock and then added it to a square cream card base.

Now click on over to the Penny Black blog for the full reveal and a giveaway!

Supplies

Stamps

Inks: versamark, versafine smokey gray

Pencils: Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer watercolour pencils

Paper: hot pressed watercolour paper, pink cardstock

Also: opaque white embossing powder, minc foil applicator

Good neighbours

Posted: February 13, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Coloured pencil, Good neighbours | Tags: , | 7 Comments

After teaching some colour pencil classes I am feeling inspired to use my pencils more often. I especially like the look on black cardstock but it is trickier to get a good photo. I used my Faber-Castell polychromos pencils for this card paired with the ‘good neighbors’ stamp from Penny Black.

I embossed the stamp with platinum powder then used a selection of coloured pencils to fill all the images. I wanted the sentiment to add some more interest to the black panel so I die-cut the top of my image panel with one of the PB stitched edges dies, used the same die to frame the sentiment then cut a little strip again with the same die to complete the rectangle again at the top.

The sentiment is embossed in platinum and then all the panels are attached to a cream card base. A little larger than my usual, hence the side fold. I’m teaching a coloured pencil technique class in Toronto in April; you can find the details on my upcoming classes page.

Supplies

Stamps: good neighors, spice of life

Die: stitched edges

Ink: versamark

Also: WOW metallic platinum superfine embossing powder, Faber Castell Polychromos pencils

Botanical script

Posted: February 11, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Botanical Script | Tags: , , | 7 Comments

I am very happy to be sharing these two cards over on the Darkroom Door blog today. Both cards feature a floral collage stamp from the new Botanical Script set. You can find all the instructions over at Darkroom Door. My first card is done in a vintage style with distress inks.

My second card is bolder and brighter with a sparkly blue and white colour scheme.

I layered this one by cutting out and painting an extra flower. All the steps  and supplies are listed on the Darkroom Door blog. While you’re there you can see the other pretty stamps from the Botanical Script set.

Snow blooms

Posted: February 8, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: a little secret, Effulgent | Tags: , | 12 Comments

I sense a bit of a theme in this week’s cards; do you think maybe I’m thinking about spring? I am surrounded by gorgeous floral stamps in my workroom but by six foot snow banks outside. So today’s card started out as just a pretty pink magnolia but ended up caught in some flurries.

My plan was to build up colour step by step, keep it controlled and neat (not loose and watery). I stamped the whole stamp in worn lipstick ink then coloured the darker areas of the petals with a festive berries marker, the sepals in forest moss marker and the twigs in gathered twigs marker. I then blended the colour with water on a small brush so it was still fairly neat.

I wanted some extra foliage in the background and that’s when things started to go a little freestyle. I masked the flowers with a post it and stamped the ‘a little secret’ stamp a couple of times in stormy sky ink. The two stamps did not really look like they belonged together so I left behind my ‘neat’ plan and started spritzing the water around. The background softened but not quite enough so I painted some stormy sky into the background also. As I painted stormy sky right up to the edge of the branch the brown bled into the blue, things got loose and watery and, in my opinion, more appealing.  I added some aged mahogany ink to the the centres of the flowers and some gold gel pen highlights. Then I wanted some snow as well so I splattered white gesso over the petals. I found a co-ordinating blue to frame the panel and kept it without a sentiment for now.

Supplies

Stamps: effulgent, a little secret

Distress inks and markers: worn lipstick, festive berries, forest moss, gathered twigs, stormy sky, aged mahogany

Paper: hot pressed watercolour paper,

Paint: white gesso

Also: gold gel pen

Graceful whisper

Posted: February 7, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: graceful whisper | Tags: , , | 14 Comments

This branch has been waiting patiently for some ink so I went rather non-traditional and pulled out some purples to create this card. I splattered a few panels of hot pressed watercolour paper with masking fluid yesterday so I would have them on hand for future projects. The effect is subtle on this one but you can see little white dots in the sky and foliage if you look closely.

I used a couple of teardrop memento inks and a marker to ink the stamp. With the teardrops it is possible to apply ink somewhat strategically. I started with the lighter grape jelly ink and dabbed it here and there over the stamp. My panel was in my stamping platform so I was able to do grape jelly ink first, then add some dabs of the darker elderberry ink second. I went back and forth with the two inks and occasionally a spritz of water until I was happy with the image. I coloured the stems with a memento tuxedo black marker, stamped to complete the image then moved the panel to stamp a second branch the same way.

Once all the stamping dried I used mustard seed and salty ocean distress stain to paint the sky. I kept it fairly diluted and dabbed with a paper towel if I had too much water or stain. To finish it off I stamped the sentiment from the PB ‘sentiment collection’ set in versafine onyx black ink then matted the panel with black and attached it to a white card base.

Supplies

Stamps: graceful whisper, sentiment collection

Inks: grape jelly, elderberry, tuxedo black marker

Stains: salty ocean, mustard seed

Paper: hot pressed watercolour, neenah epic black, neenah solar white
 
Also: masking fluid

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