Blue Christmas
Posted: December 22, 2015 Filed under: Regalia | Tags: Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 7 Comments
I don’t know under what circumstances one would have a blue tree like this! I just grabbed all the blue and purple markers and with the help of the MISTI stamped and restamped then spritzed and sprinkled blue brusho until I had whimsical blue tree.
In creating this post I remembered I had stamped this tree before but never shared it. This one was also done with the MISTI so all those colours didn’t get muddy on the stamp.
I hope you are having a lovely day. Must get on with the baking…
Supplies
Stamps: Regalia, Believe (PB)
Dies: Splendid Wishes (PB)
Inks: All the blue and purple memento markers (Tsukineko)
Paints: Brusho
Cardstock: Canson hot pressed watercolour paper, purple cardstock
Also: masking fluid
Very Merry
Posted: December 21, 2015 Filed under: Peace & Harmony, Stamped Landscapes | Tags: Brusho, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps 9 Comments
As we approach Christmas Day I will share the last of the cards I created to give away this year. I don’t plan to go into detail about techniques this week but will link to cards created in a similar way so you can read those instructions if you are interested. I will list below the supplies used I used to create each card. The technique for today’s feathered and blended tree scene is explained here.
We hosted a cello recital at our home yesterday for a friend so that gave me a deadline to have our tree decorated and the window hung with lights and greenery. My daughter and I did some baking but there is more to come. I always make gingerbread so that is one of the next tasks on my list. I like making it but you can probably guess that it’s the decorating I enjoy most. For years we made gingerbread houses or structures but I think it will just be cookies this year. (you can see what my children and their friends have built in past years on my other blog)
Santa is dropping off a guest from Australia on his way through Ottawa very early Christmas morning so there is still some cleaning and organizing to get her room ready.
Supplies:
Stamps: Peace & Harmony (PB)
Dies: A Very Merry (PB)
Paint: Brusho
Inks: memento Olive Grove, Cottage Ivy (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, green cardstock
Also: masking fluid
Snowy Birches
Posted: December 17, 2015 Filed under: Stamped Landscapes, Winter Song | Tags: Brusho, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Hand lettering, Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Penny Black stamps 13 Comments
Do you recognise these trees? They are part of a larger stamp, ‘Winter Song’ and even though the whole stamp is beautiful I often just want to use that stand of trees on one side. I began by painting a sky over a moon mask using brusho blues. Once it was dry I decided to add these trees and the snow banks. Because the sky was already painted I had to paint the trees in white paint to block out the blue on the trunks. I used the Gansai Tambi white paint and kept it quite thick and opaque. Once I had white trunks to work with I painted some grey shadows on the trunks and added some black spots and twigs with a marker. I used the ‘to the world’ from Holiday Snippets and then hand lettered some joy.
I have lights and greenery around the window now and one ornament on the tree! Little by little…
Supplies:
Stamps: Winter Song, Holiday Snippets (PB)
Paints: Brusho, Gansai Tambi
Inks: Tuxedo Black (Imagine Craft/Tsukineko) Micron fine tip black marker
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Strathmore cold pressed watercolour paper, burgandy cardstock
Holly heartfelt
Posted: December 16, 2015 Filed under: Holly Tweet | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Ranger Distress stains 4 Comments
“Holly Heartfelt” sounds like a cartoon character to me! I have paired a Christmas image with a thank you sentiment for today’s card. The PB design team are creating thank you cards this week and next on the PB blog.
I began by splattering some masking fluid on watercolour paper then stamped the ‘holly tweet’ stamp with a combination of distress stain and markers (the leaves were inked with stain). While the ink was still wet I blended it with a brush to fill the outlines and blend the colours. I used tumbled glass distress stain to paint a soft background around the image. Once it was totally dry I removed the masking fluid dots and added some gold splatter and a sentiment. I thought the gold mat and red card base tied in with the berries, bird and gold dots.
Our tree is lit now awaiting some adornment…it’s beginning to look a little more like Christmas.
Supplies:
Stamps: Holly Tweet, Heartfelt (PB)
Inks: festive berries distress marker, distress gathered twigs marker, mowed lawn stain, tumbled glass distress stain, (Ranger) Versafine onyx black ink, memento tuxedo black marker,london fog marker(Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, gold and red cardstock
Also: masking fluid, gold wink of luna pen
Snowscape 2 ways
Posted: December 15, 2015 Filed under: Periscope, Spread Cheer, Stamped Landscapes | Tags: Brusho, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Periscope, Tsukineko Memento inks, Tsukineko Versafine inks 14 Comments
Even though we have absolutely no snow outside I felt inspired to create some snowscape cards today. I used two methods, the first sponging over a mask and the second painting the snow bank edge with watercolour paint and softening with it on one side with water.
The first card was sponged with Memento Bahama Blue and Nautical blue over masks cut from post-it notes. I added trees then stamped the boy and his dog in the foreground. I had not planned the card when I started so there was no masking fluid splattered on the sky for snow or stars. Instead I added it at the end by flicking it off the brush of a white wink of luna pen. The moon was not in my sky but I decided it must have been off to the left so stamped shadows behind the boy and the trees then sponged some little footprints too.
The painted scene was done on watercolour paper that had been splattered with masking fluid so snow appeared when I rubbed off the mask at the end. I painted the sky first with two different brusho blues then each of the snow banks. Once the painting was dry I stamped the trees and painted over them immediately to blend the ink into a more solid image. I stamped the boy in pigment ink then painted some shadows. I filmed the part where I created the sky and snow banks for each panel on periscope so it is available to watch here. I turned each panel into a scene later off camera.
Thanks for dropping in today.
Supplies:
Stamps: Spread Cheer (PB)
Inks: Memento Nautical Blue & Bahama Blue, Versafine Onyx Black (ImagineCraft/Tsukineko)
Paint: Brusho powders
Cardstock: Neenah solar white cardstock, Hotpressed Fabriano watercolour paper
Poinsettias
Posted: December 14, 2015 Filed under: Red Star | Tags: Hand lettering, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 5 Comments
I have pink poinsettias and a little hand lettering today. I am not doing too much lettering because it isn’t the best for my hand but I am practising here and there with both pointed pen and brush markers. These pointed pen ones are more wonky than I wanted but I will keep zoning in on a style that works for me.
I stamped both poinsettias with the same stamp but obviously used different techniques to complete my designs. On the card above I stamped a pale image (no pine needles) and used it as a guide to paint with brusho. I mixed brusho with water to dip the paintbrush into rather than sprinkling it directly on the paper. The stamp was my guide for the large pink petals then I added tiny red ones and green outer ones myself. The centre is gold added with a wink of luna pen and I finished with a generous bit of splatter and a matching mat.
The stamp is a semi-solid stamp so if I ink it with distress stains it holds quite a bit of stain. On the poinsettia below I inked with pink stains, used markers on the pine needles and added the yellow and gold to the centre after stamping. I added a few veins to the petals with a fine brush and softened the pine needles with water. These panels have been sitting around for a while so once again I am not absolutely sure which colours I used but I will take a guess and add them in the supplies list at the bottom of the post.
Supplies:
Stamps: Red Star (PB)
Inks: Worn Lipstick, Spun Sugar distress stains (Ranger) angel pink memento ink, cottage ivy memento marker (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Green and red cardstock
Also: brusho powder, black ink, gold wink of luna pen
Pink Berries
Posted: December 11, 2015 Filed under: Berry Bevy | Tags: Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 4 Comments
I usually end up with at least a couple of pink Christmas cards along with all the blue and green ones I make. What is your favourite colour combo for Christmas cards?
I began this card by splattering some drops of masking fluid on cold pressed watercolour paper. I am using more cold pressed these days to add a little texture to designs. Once the masking fluid was dry I wet the panel and stamped the ‘berry bevy’ stamp onto the panel in spun sugar and worn lipstick distress stains. The stain spread out to give me the background colour. I inked the stamp with both brown and burgandy for the branches and berries and spritzed to make the ink bleed in a few places. I used a paintbrush and some micro pearl powder mixed with burgandy ink to fill in the berries so some of them have a little shimmer. To finish off the card I found a matching piece of cardstock, cut a mat and a sentiment and added silver cord as the final touch.
Thanks for dropping by today.
Supplies:
Stamps: Berry Bevy (PB)
Dies: World of wishes (PB)
Inks: Worn Lipstick, Spun Sugar distress stains (Ranger) Espresso Truffle, Rhubarb Stalk Memento markers (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Burgandy textured cardstock
Also: silver cord, masking fluid, micro pearl powder
Blossom in December
Posted: December 9, 2015 Filed under: Delicate Blossoms | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 17 Comments
I made this card back in spring when there was blossom on the trees here; now they are bare and everything is looking a bit drab outside. I worked wet into wet with distress stains to ink the stamp. Once the stain was dry I added definition to the flower centres with a marker. I added a bit of loose background colour and some splatter then finished it off with a brown sentiment and narrow mat.
Despite posting a very unChristmassy card I have progressed in my seasonal decorating. Not only do I have a wreath up but the sideboard and mantle now feature red berry garlands and candles instead of thanksgiving cards and my son’s October birthday cards! I don’t usually have a tree up before Dec 15 because I love to keep it up for a while after Christmas. I should go outside and snip some greenery considering the temperatures are way above zero. Are you decorating?
I am still receiving lovely feedback about my ‘stamping the stories‘ series including a few requests for more. I really did enjoy making those cards and definitely have more favourites to inspire me so perhaps I will continue in 2016. I wouldn’t necessarily need to restrict the books to fantasy next time; that way ‘Anne’ could be featured. Way back in my childhood I would never have thought I would one day be living in Canada just like Anne with an ‘e’.
Supplies:
Stamps: Heartfelt, Delicate Blossoms (PB)
Inks: Worn Lipstick, Spun Sugar, Vintage Photo, Tumbled Glass Distress Stains (Ranger) Espresso Truffle, Rich Cocoa, Cantaloupe Memento markers (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Natural White, Dark brown
Reach for the stars
Posted: December 8, 2015 Filed under: Prancers, Stamped Landscapes | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Penny Black stamps 11 Comments
Today’s card reminds me of photos I have seen taken with a fish eye lense so the world all leans into the photograph. I could have added the colours of northern lights as I sometimes would but I stuck to the more common blues of a night sky. It was a fairly simple card to make. I positioned a circle mask then splattered masking fluid on a piece of watercolour paper, once the masking dried I painted blue gansai tambi paint in circles around the moon to fill the panel. To finish the card I stamped black trees and a sentiment, matted and added the panel to a black card base.
We have had some beautiful sunset skies lately; I haven’t taken many photos but I have tried to imprint them on my mind to recreate with paint and ink at a later time. It is weird to be into December and not have snow or even the need to wear gloves yet. No-one in our house is complaining about the lack of shoveling but my son is wanting to start on the outdoor rink and my husband is keen to ski. What does it look like where you are? White Christmas or green?
Supplies:
Stamps: Prancers, Eloquence (PB)
Inks: Black Soot ink (Ranger) Versafine Onyx Black (ImagineCraft/Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Neenah Epic Black cardstock
Also: Winsor & Newton masking fluid, Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints
Stamped wreath & swag
Posted: December 6, 2015 Filed under: Nature's Gifts, Winter moments | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Sakura Koi watercolour paints 15 Comments 
Last Sunday afternoon while sitting at the walk-in clinic waiting for my son to be seen I sketched a wreath and practised some lettering in a sketchbook. (He is fine, the doctor got him sorted and he was well enough to play basketball on Monday which of course was the real concern!) Once I returned home I was inspired to stamp a wreath and a swag using stamps from a couple of sets. I do own wreath stamps but wanted to see what I could come up with myself. For the wreath all the stamps came from the Nature’s Gifts set. To stamp the swag below I substituted smaller pinecones from the Winter Moments set.
I began by splattering masking fluid on one large panel still in my cold pressed watercolour block. Next I painted the background blue for both designs (plus 2 more) using the Sakura Koi watercolor travel set. I just wanted soft edges on the blue so I added plenty of water and also removed some colour with a brush or paper towel. While the background was still wet I stamped some pine needles and let them bleed into the damp paper to create a very soft look. Then I walked away while it dried. Once it was almost dry I stamped the rest of the elements adding a little water here and there with a paintbrush to blend colours and soften the images. I added little red dots on the swag as berries then let it all dry before rubbing off the masking fluid. I decided against any sentiment but added red ribbon and mats to bring out the colour of the berries.
After finishing these two stamped panels I created another swag and wreath which I will share tomorrow. My method was similar but I painted them instead of stamping.
Thank you so much for your kind and enthusiastic response to my ‘Stamping the Stories’ collection. I really enjoyed creating each card and was thrilled to see you enjoyed them too.
Supplies:
Stamps: Nature’s Gifts, Winter Moments (PB)
Inks: Memento Espresso Truffle, Love letter, Rhubarb Stalk, Lady Bug, Northern Pine, Potter’s Clay, Northern Pine, Tuxedo Black ink pads and markers (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton cold pressed watercolour paper,
Also: Sakura Koi watercolours, Winsor & Newton masking fluid, red ribbon
Heather Telford 