Just Add Water
Posted: March 17, 2014 Filed under: Noble, Watercolour | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 16 Comments
I can’t believe how long it has taken me to play along with Karen’s ‘Just Add Water challenge’ at One Layer Simplicity. Considering how often I use watercolour these days I should have several cards linked by now! Seems they have all been more than one layer lately.
Using watercolour paper as my card base I taped off a panel in the centre of the card front. I pulled out a stamp I hadn’t tried before, ‘Noble’ from the PB Happy Everything release, inked it with Memento markers and spritzed it with water. I added a few highlights to the leaves, a three sided border with a watercolour pencil and flicked a little extra colour around also. I decided the sentiment could be all watery too so inked it with two greens, spritzed it and stamped.
If you haven’t already played along head over to One Layer Simplicity now; you still have a week to get involved.
Supplies:
Stamps: Noble, Thinking of You (PB)
Inks: Memento Bamboo Leaves, Olive Grove, Angel Pink, Lilac Posies (Tsukineko)
Pencils: Albrecht Durer Olive green (Faber-Castell)
Paper: Fabriano 25% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
Stenciled Leaves
Posted: March 16, 2014 Filed under: Promenade, Verdant | Tags: May Arts ribbon, Penny Black stamps, Penny Black stencils, Tsukineko Memento inks 6 Comments
Today’s ‘hint of a rainforest’ card was made primarily with a couple of stencils from the new Happy Everything release. I used watercolour paper in case I wanted to blend some colours but I could have stuck with smooth cardstock just as easily. I started by sponging Pear Tart ink through the Verdant stencil with a sponge, moved the stencil and sponged with Bamboo Leaves ink. I then switched to the Promenade stencil and sponged Sweet Plum ink on the hanging blooms and Olive Grove on their stems and leaves. I picked up Pear Tart, Olive Grove and Sweet Plum ink on a paint brush and flicked it happily across the panel before adding the sentiment in Olive Green ink. For a dark edge I ran the Bamboo leaves ink pad along the edges of the panel then matted with Olive Grove paper.
Supplies:
Stamps: Cupcake Day (PB)
Stencils: Promenade, Verdant (PB)
Inks: Memento Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves, Olive Grove, Sweet Plum (Tsukineko)
Paper: Olive Grove Mix & Match paper (PB), Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
Also: Faux Burlap Wired Ribbon
May Arts Creative Collaboration
Posted: March 14, 2014 Filed under: Chat Bubbles, Hollyhocks, Love Expressions, Poppy Pattern, Promise Me, Tagged | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, May Arts ribbon, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 15 Comments
Penny Black and May Arts have been collaborating all week and today is my turn to show how easy it is to pair ribbons with stamping. I decided to make a few tags but if you are looking for more ideas check out both the Penny Black blog and the May Arts blog for all sorts of creative projects. (Instead of listing the supplies at the end of the post I have linked to them in the descriptions)
On both the tulip tag above and the poppy tag below I stamped Memento inks onto wet watercolour paper causing the colours to bleed and blend. When the paper dried a little I added foreground tulips or in the case of the poppies centre details and a blue distress stain background. As watercolour paper is rarely pure white I dyed the white cotton lace ribbon from May Arts in tea to give it a natural off white colour. The tulip tag features luxurious velvet ribbon from May Arts tied with a bow of crochet trim ribbon . The stamps are Promise Me and Special Wishes.
I used a different crochet trim ribbon to tie the versatile Faux Burlap Wired Ribbon on the poppy tag. I left the wire in the edges of the ribbon at the top of the tag so I could shape wavy edges then cut a little mat for my sentiment out of the burlap. The stamps used are Poppy Pattern and Special Wishes.
To create the Hollyhocks tag below I stamped, coloured the tiny tag and dyed the crochet trim with Victorian Velvet distress stain. I used the Hollyhocks stamp as my main image, a little bit of a sentiment from the Eloquence set on the tiny tag and the Hugs diecut from the Love Expressions set. I cut both the tiny tag and the lower rectangle using dies from the Chat Bubbles set. All large tags were cut using the large tag die from the Tagged set
CAS(E) this sketch #67
Posted: March 7, 2014 Filed under: Blooming tags, Watercolour | Tags: Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolour pencils, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 16 Comments
I rarely participate in sketch challenges but here I am playing along with CAS(E) this sketch for the second week in a row. I had several watercoloured tags lying around that had been completed a while ago so I chose the rose and map one for this card. I stamped the same tag on the card base in Memento Desert Sand then masked the edge. I had my camera handy so photographed the next step. (It was only after I had taken two photos that I realized I had no photos of the tag painting process which is probably what you are more interested in!)
I sponged around the edges of the masked area then crumpled up a piece and used it to stamp more Desert Sand ink around the edges.
Before removing the masks I drew around the edge with a Faber-Castell watercolour pencil and blended it with a waterbrush.
Now for the hard part. I don’t exactly remember how I did the tag way back when. I think I must have stamped the tag with Versafine Onyx Black because the image hasn’t bled at all. Then I probably wet the watercolour paper and started adding colour. Not sure what the inks were… Sorry about the lack of information; I am now trying to remember to take notes as I create in case it is a while before I finish a project or write a post.
Supplies:
Stamps: Blooming Tags, Wishes (PB)
Inks: Memento Desert Sand & Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko)
Pencils: Albrecht Durer Van Dyke brown 176 (Faber-Castell)
Also: Gold ribbon, black twine
Forget me not tag
Posted: February 27, 2014 Filed under: Blooming tags, CAS | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 19 Comments
This sweet tag is one of three large tags in the new Blooming Tags set; there are three teeny tags as well. I kept it simple for this card using one colour along with black and white. The tag is stamped in Versafine Onyx black then sponged around the edges in Summer sky. The flowers are coloured with Summer sky also. The background panel was sponged first before I added texture by inking the stamp with Summer sky ink then spritzing it so that the image was blurred and incomplete each time I stamped it.
Supplies:
Stamps: Blooming Tags, Special Wishes (PB)
Inks: Memento Summer Sky & Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko)
Also: Blue ribbon
Pansy Bouquet
Posted: February 24, 2014 Filed under: Pansy Bouquet, Twirls, Watercolour | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 15 Comments
Today I am featuring yet another beautiful botanical stamp from the new Happy Everything collection. To create this panel I stamped the leafy border stamp from the Twirls set as background. I inked the pansy bouquet with markers, stamped it, then spritzed with water. Using a waterbrush and memento inks stamped on an acrylic block as a palette I filled in the pansies and leaves. When the panel was almost dry I added yellow centres with a marker. I splattered some light blue and green colour from watercolour pencils to complete the panel.
Readers in the Ottawa area might be interested to know I am offering some classes in March. You can view the projects and register on my new Classes page.
Supplies:
Stamps: Pansy Bouquet, Special Wishes, Twirls (PB)
Inks: Memento Bamboo Leaves, Cottage Ivy, Elderberry, Summer Sky (Tsukineko)
Pencils: Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils Moss green 168, Light Blue 147 (Faber-Castell)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Penny Black mix & match Spring Meadows paper
Watercolouring the Lily
Posted: February 20, 2014 Filed under: Every Happiness, First Dance, Twirls, Watercolour | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 10 CommentsAll this week on the Penny Black blog you can check out the designers’ favourites from the new Happy Everything collection. It will come as no surprise that I chose a brushstroke stamp that lends itself to the watercolour technique.
To create the pink card below I inked the ‘First Dance’ lily with a combination of distress ink and memento markers then stamped onto dry watercolour paper. I created a mask to cover the centre lily then stamped another lily on either side. With three lilies in a row I spritzed the panel with water and let the dark and light pinks blend a little. I used memento markers to draw over the stamen and stems and to redo the dots on the petals. To finish I picked up with a paintbrush a little diluted pink ink to paint around the top edges of the panel and some green around the bottom.
Supplies:
Stamps: First Dance, Every Happiness (PB)
Inks: Memento Bamboo Leaves, Lilac Posies, Angel Pink, Potter’s Clay, Pear Tart (Tsukineko) Worn Lipstcik Distress Ink (Ranger)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Penny Black mix & match Fuschia Fantasies paper
The yellow and green lily below was created using the wet into wet technique. It is most apparent where the ink has bled from the stem and leaves. It also bled from the petals (Memento Dandelion) making them quite pale so I used Mustard Seed distress stain to paint over them and intensify their colour. The background panel is stamped with one of the new ‘Twirls’ border stamps.
Supplies:
Stamps: First Dance, Special Wishes (PB)
Inks: Memento Dandelion, Potter’s Clay, Espresso Truffle, Pear Tart, Bamboo leaves (Tsukineko)
Distress Stains: Mustard Seed(Ranger)
Creative Dies: Feather & Frames
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Penny Black mix & match Olive Grove
Ski slopes
Posted: February 17, 2014 Filed under: Christmas Park, Tutorial, Watercolour | Tags: CAS, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 19 Comments
It is my husband, Andrew’s birthday today and this is the card I made for him. Now that he has opened it I can publish it here. I actually made it two days ahead which is a bit of a record for me. I hate to say it but I often make my family’s cards late the night before or even the morning of the birthday. He has been enjoying skiing in Gatineau Park this winter so I attempted a few ski slopes with a little music motif as well because he is also a musician. The plan is to go skiing today after a family breakfast and then tonight our family will attend the Ottawa Symphony concert where our elder daughter is playing.
Not only did I make the card ahead of time I remembered to take photos along the way. For a change I used cold pressed watercolour paper. It is more textured so the ink pools in the ‘dents’ a little. I taped a piece to my work table then painted Tumbled Glass distress ink onto the sky area. I painted several layers for a strong colour then painted two snow bank shadows by painting the ink on in a curved line then immediately blending water into the ink to dilute and spread it up the panel.
Next I cut a mask to match the top snow bank so I could stamp trees above it.
I inked the stamp with two greens, spritzed it with water then stamped it over the mask. I spritzed some water onto the panel to make the colour bleed a little
Before stamping trees on the next slope I masked the two lower banks to keep them white.
I inked the music background stamp in brown, wiped some of the ink off, stamped on scrap then stamped onto the watercolour panel.
To complete the panel I sponged some brown around the edges. When I removed the painter’s tape I remembered I had left more blank space at the bottom which made it look a little like a polaroid. On the rare occasions I do go skiing I usually wish I had my camera with me to capture the beauty but it is too heavy and my skiing style too unstable to take the risk of carrying it with me.
Supplies:
Stamps: Christmas Park, Summer Fun (PB)
Inks: Memento Cottage Ivy, Northern Pine, Rich Cocoa (Tsukineko)
Distress Stains: Tumbled Glass
Cardstock: Strathmore 140lb cold pressed watercolour paper
Soft Whisper
Posted: February 11, 2014 Filed under: Soft Whisper, Watercolour | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 19 Comments
I was very happy to see this beautiful big branches stamp in the new collection as I love trees stamps. I continued with the watercolour theme beginning by masking a moon and creating a blended blue sky. I then used post-it notes masks to create some sponged hills before adding the large “Soft Whispers” stamp. I inked the stamp in green and blue, spritzed it then pressed it on the panel. I used a stamp positioner so I could stamp again adding more emphasis to the edge of the main branch. To finish I sponged around the edges with nautical blue ink to frame the panel.
I am looking forward to pulling this stamp out again for both backgrounds and feature panels.
Supplies:
Stamps: Soft Whisper, Special Wishes (PB)
Inks: Memento Nautical Blue, Cottage Ivy, Summer Sky & Versafine Majestic Blue (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
Negative space rose
Posted: February 9, 2014 Filed under: Love Chapter, Rose | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 17 Comments
I found this rose panel under a pile of scraps a few days ago. I had created it back when I was making this card. When die cutting a negative rose mask out of masking paper to sponge through I naturally ended up with a rose out of masking paper too. I stuck that on the watercolour block and used some Memento pink and green inks that were open on my table. I painted diluted ink over the mask which did make the masking paper a little waterlogged but I let it dry completely before I peeled it off. I used the 1 Corinthians text stamp to add background interest and sponged a little Sweet Plum in the corner before adding a fading green sentiment.
Have a lovely week.
Supplies:
Stamps: Letter background, Love Chapter
Creative Dies: Rose
Inks: Memento Sweet Plum, Angel Pink, Bamboo Leaves (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
Heather Telford 