Little Secret
Posted: February 27, 2017 Filed under: a little secret, CAS | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Versafine inks 14 Comments
I’m playing with layers in today’s card, both layers of stamping and layers of painting. I used a couple of colours of distress stain to create the background on hot pressed watercolour paper. I painted with both chipped sapphire and stormy sky, keeping the colour dark on the left and pale on the right. After I had done one layer I dried it then painted another layer. While the second layer was still wet I stamped the ‘a little secret’ stamp in chipped sapphire ink, taking care as I inked it to leave the birds uninked. I let that dry and stamped again in chipped sapphire to get an image which didn’t soften and bleed. With the panel dry I dropped some water droplets onto the painted background then after a minute or so dried them with paper towel. The watermark left behind looks like light or a moon in the distance. To finish I stamped the full stamp in versafine onyx black ink.
You can see the deckled edge in the close up above. I buy quite a bit of hot pressed watercolour paper in large sheets and each sheet has two deckled edges which occasionally I incorporate into my projects. I mounted the panel on a white card base and left it without a sentiment.
Thanks for dropping by.
Supplies
Stamps: a little secret (PB)
Inks: chipped sapphire, stormy sky distress stains and inks(Ranger), versafine onyx black (Tsukineko)
Paper: Fabriano hot pressed watercolour paper
Effulgent
Posted: February 21, 2017 Filed under: CAS, Effulgent | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks 18 Comments
I am having fun creating with the new brushstroke stamps from Penny Black. This one is called ‘effulgent’; I checked the definition and think my colour choices help it live up to its name. The combination of red and orange make it ‘shine forth brilliantly’.
I used a stamp positioner for this panel but you could just as easily create it without. The trick to this design is in the re-stamping. I inked the stamp with distress markers, spiced marmalade and festive berries on the flowers, forest moss on the branch and old paper where the branch meets the flower. I spritzed the stamp to help the colours blend and dropped water here and there on the watercolour panel before stamping. After stamping once I used a brush to blend parts of the image then moved the panel, spritzed the stamp again and stamped a second generation, or paler image. Again I blended on the watercolour panel with a small brush then repeated the process, each time repositioning the panel and spritzing the stamp but not re-inking it.
I chose not to add a sentiment but found some co-ordinating textured cardstock to finish the design.
Supplies
Stamps: Effulgent (PB)
Ink: forest moss, old paper, festive berries, spiced marmalade distress markers (Ranger) (Tsukineko)
Paper: hotpressed 100% cotton watercolour paper, textured coral and brown card stock
Shining lights
Posted: February 10, 2017 Filed under: African Trees, Hand lettered, Tribal | Tags: Darkroom Door stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Tsukineko Versafine inks 10 Comments
I’m still having fun with the African stamps from Darkroom Door, this time combining a loose watercoloured background with a sharp silhouetted tree in the foreground. I stamped the ‘tribal’ background first on watercolour paper in several colours of distress ink. Once the whole pattern was stamped I painted over it with water and the colours blended from into each other.
I let the background dry completely before dropping some water strategically here and there. When water comes in contact with distress ink it reacts and dilutes the ink. By letting the water sit for a minute then dabbing it up with a paper towel I was able to create light patches which look a bit like lights in an already abstract sky.
I stamped the tree over the ‘sky’ once it dried then painted the ground with black soot distress stain. My sentiment, inspired by the ‘watermark lights’ was handwritten in McCaffery’s Penmans black ink.
Supplies:
Stamps: Tribal, African Trees (Darkroom Door)
Inks: Distress wild honey, spiced marmalade, fired brick inks, black soot distress stain (Ranger) versafine onyx black (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: neenah natural white cardstock, neenah epic black cardstock, fabriano hot pressed watercolour paper
Writing ink: Mc Caffery’s Penman’s ink black
Nib holder: Exclusive handmade from Foiled Fox
Elephant congrats
Posted: January 30, 2017 Filed under: African Trees, CAS, Tribal | Tags: CAS, Darkroom Door stamps, Ranger Distress inks 8 Comments
With fond memories of the One Layer Simplicity challenge I decided to make a one layer card for the current Case This Sketch challenge.
I masked my card base and stamped the ‘tribal’ stamp from Darkroom Door in distress inks. I stamped one colour after another just inking part of the pattern each time. With the mask still in place I sponged over the stamping in the colours listed below. Next I repositioned my first mask and added a second mask to reveal a thin strip of cardbase above the pattern then sponged with fired brick distress ink. To complete the design I stamped an elephant and a sentiment in fired brick ink.
Some goals are reached with much elephant-like plodding rather than the speed of a gazelle!
Supplies:
Stamps: All Occasions, Tribal, African Trees (Darkroom Door)
Inks: Distress wild honey, spiced marmalade, fired brick, vintage photo inks (Ranger)
Cardstock: neenah natural white cardstock
African Trees 2 Ways
Posted: January 23, 2017 Filed under: African Trees, Darkroom Door | Tags: Darkroom Door stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 14 Comments
I have something new to share with you today, some stamps from my homeland! No, not Africa, Australia. The images are of African trees but the stamps themselves are from Darkroom Door in Australia. I have recently added Darkroom Door designs to my teaching schedule so I will also be sharing some projects here on the blog. My first class with Darkroom Door stamps is in February; it features these trees and you can find it on my Upcoming Classes page.
I decided to make two cards of similar design but with different techniques. On the one above I painted a distress stain background to create a graduated wash then stamped the trees in distress inks. I did first and second generation stamping to get some paler more distant trees. I stamped and spritzed the darker foreground trees then painted grass at the base.
The second card doesn’t include any watercolouring. I began by brayering a pale green sky, dark at the bottom and pale at the top. I used first and second generation stamping again to add background trees then sponged some ground at the base and stamped darker trees followed by even darker ground. I like the misty feel of this one; I haven’t been to the African plains but I think maybe they look a bit like this in the early morning or perhaps when its very dry and dust is in the air.
Supplies:
Stamps: African Trees (Darkroom Door)
Inks: Memento new sprout, bamboo leaves, olive grove (Tsukineko) & Distress peeled paint, forest moss stains and inks (Ranger)
Cardstock: hot pressed watercolour paper, neenah natural white cardstock, co-ordinating green cardstock
Love you still
Posted: January 19, 2017 Filed under: Penny Black, Red blush | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Versafine inks 4 Comments
Today I am featuring another new stamp from the ‘Follow your Heart’ release, this rose stamp is called ‘red blush’ something I did not realise when I designed my yellow and orange card!
I used a stamp positioner for this card so I could create a watery image initially but still be able to add some definition over the top once the first stamping had dried. I began by spritzing water down the left hand side of the panel. I inked the rose with wild honey, peeled paint and forest moss distress stain then stamped it and let the colour blend into damp area of paper. Where the stamp had hit dry paper I used a paint brush to blend colour into the petals, stem and leaves. I let the panel dry before inking and stamping the right hand side of the rose again to add definition. I stamped the sentiment next in vintage sepia ink.
At this point in my creative process I decided to add script background around the rose and sentiment so I masked both with post-it notes and stamped the stamped in wild honey distress ink and lightly spritzed a couple of places. I also sponged wild honey distress ink around the edges then matted the panel in olive green and added some cotton thread wrapped around the bottom of the panel and secured with a bow.
Thank you for stopping by to see my ‘Follow your heart‘ projects. You might have noticed that my projects this week were not strictly Valentine cards more cards that could be given to loved ones any time. Do you make and give Valentine cards?
Supplies
Stamps: Red blush, Forever & Always , Script(PB)
Ink: forest moss, wild honey, peeled paint distress stains, wild honey distress ink (Ranger) versafine vintage sepia ink (Tsukineko)
Also: cotton thread
Paper: hotpressed 100% cotton watercolour paper, olive green cardstock
Be Mine
Posted: January 17, 2017 Filed under: a rose, Peerless watercolours, with affection | Tags: Peerless Transparent Watercolors, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks 4 Comments
This cute little couple is a new stamp from Penny Black called ‘the rose’. I stamped it in vintage photo distress ink then watercoloured it with peerless watercolour paints. I like the muted look of the vintage photo ink combined with the paint from the peerless palette.
I kept the design pretty simple by adding only ground under their feet but no extra background images or colour. Instead I made my own patterned panel by stamping the ‘be mine’ sentiment along with a tiny heart repeatedly in vintage photo ink. The tiny heart is cut from a row of five included in the ‘from the heart’ set. It was ideal for filling in little gaps around the words.
Pop over to my youtube channel to see how I set up my peerless palette.
Supplies:
Die: A Rose, With Affection, From the Heart
Paints: Peerless watercolors
Cardstock: hot pressed watercolour paper, neenah natural white, red cardstock
Ink: vintage photo distress ink
Winter celebration
Posted: November 22, 2016 Filed under: Stamped Landscapes, Woodland Beauty | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Tsukineko Versafine inks 10 Comments
The tree from the ‘woodland beauty’ set has definitely become a favourite of mine. (It features in my next Christmas card class this weekend and one spot just opened up) I started by painting a blue and purple sky over some masking fluid specks. I used the same blues to paint shadows over the mountains.
To create this little winter scene I stamped the tree in a mix of two greens and added water to blend the greens and add the shadow to the snow. To make the snowbank below the trees I partially inked the trees so the trunks weren’t stamped then painted some blue ink around the branches and as a sharp edge below the branches.
I painted some more pale blue snow banks then used part of a sentiment stamp to finish the panel. I’ve been back in Canada for over a week now and the snow has indeed come to Ottawa!
Supplies
Stamps: woodland beauty, festive cheer
Inks: versafine onyx black (Tsukineko), forest moss, pine needles distress markers (Ranger)
Paper: hot pressed watercolour papers (Fabriano), green cardstock
Paint: brusho watercolour crystal paint
Also: masking fluid
Gods blessings
Posted: November 16, 2016 Filed under: Skyline, Woodland Beauty | Tags: Brusho, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks 5 Comments
It’s time for a card with a vintage feel; you know they pop up here from time to time. I began with a watercolour panel splattered in a fine spray of masking fluid which results in tiny dots of white to represent snow. As with past cards in this style I used vintage photo distress ink which blends very nicely with water. The smoky black areas were added with black soot distress ink as well as an elegant writer pen. I can’t remember whether I stamped the buildings over a mask or just partially inked the stamp, either way the result made the skyscrapers appear to behind a snowbank. I blended the ink with a paintbrush above the snowbank and later, once the buildings were dry, painted the ice and sky with turquoise brusho.
To frame the scene I ran the vintage photo ink pad around the edges of the panel then attached it to a cream card base.
Supplies:
Stamps: Skyline, Woodland Beauty, Holy Night(PB)
Inks: Versafine vintage sepia ink (Tsukineko) vintage photo, black soot distress inks (Ranger) Elegant Writer (Speedball)
Paint: Turquoise brusho
Cardstock: Fabriano cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
Tranquil in watercolour
Posted: November 11, 2016 Filed under: Tranquil | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Ranger Distress stains, Speedball elegant writer, Tsukineko Versafine inks 5 Comments
I’ve already posted two cards this week made with the scenic stamp, ‘tranquil’; this is my last one for now in a much looser watercolour style. On the previous two cards I stamped the image in versafine ink and it was sharp against a watercolour sky.
To create this scene I inked the tree in pine needles distress ink and the fence and ground in vintage photo distress ink and stamped it on cold pressed watercolour paper. I added shadows to the stamping with a black elegant writer pen then spritzed the panel with water to soften the whole image and let colours blend a little. I painted the sky with broken china distress stain to fill the rest of the panel, then added a sentiment in black ink.
Supplies
Stamps: Tranquil, Winter Joy (PB)
Ink: vintage photo, pine needles, broken china distress ink (Ranger) versafine onyx black ink (Tsukineko) elegant writer pen (Speedball)
Paper: cold pressed watercolour paper
Heather Telford 