Poppies with love
Posted: September 14, 2015 Filed under: Efflorescence, Flourish, No Card Left Behind | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 16 Comments
I have another card featuring one of my favourite techniques, ‘watercolouring with distress stains‘. I worked on a panel of watercolour paper taped to a board and splattered with masking fluid. The stamp is an outline stamp which I inked with festive berries and ripe persimmon stain on the petals and peeled paint on the stems. I painted colour into the petals straight away so the outlines would blend with the colour in the whole petal. I drew a bud and a few leaves with a marker to fill the space more evenly. Once the flowers were almost dry I painted the background with desert sand ink and added some text also. I added black to the flower centres with a marker and blended with water to soften the edges a little.
When I removed the tape and the masking fluid I wasn’t entirely happy with the finished panel. Instead of trying to alter any part of the watercolouring I decided to add another element, the die cut flourish over the top. I tied the flourish in with a swirly sentiment and attached all the elements to a natural card base.
Supplies:
Stamps: Efflorescence, Footnotes (PB)
Creative Dies: Flourish, For You (PB)
Inks: Festive Berries, Ripe Persimmon, Peeled Paint Distress stains, Desert sand ink, Tuxedo Black, Northern Pine memento markers (Tsukineko)
Paper: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah natural white cardstock
Also: Winsor & Newton masking fluid
Greatest of these
Posted: September 9, 2015 Filed under: Love Chapter, Soft Wings | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 7 Comments
Today’s card is an example of wet into wet watercolour with some stamping added later for definition and texture. I wet the taped panel of watercolour paper then stamped a pale butterfly to give me an outline to paint over. I painted in pinks and purples and added background colour in teal. When it was dry I restamped in dark blue and did some partial stamping with the text stamp from the ‘love chapter’ transparent set.
I love watching the colour blend and blur when I stamp onto wet watercolour paper. If you haven’t tried it you should; it’s fun and you can always stamp over it if it is just too loose and flowy for you! I mentioned Periscope in my last post; if you’d like to know more about it I found this helpful tutorial.
By the way the latest One Layer Simplicity challenge is up and running with Ardyth. It’s all about numbers; check it out.
Supplies:
Stamps: Soft Wings, Love Chapter (PB)
Inks: Pine needles, Chipped Sapphire, Aged Mahogany, Worn Lipstick distress stains and inks (Ranger) Summer Sky memento ink (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hotpressed watercolour paper
Also: Winsor & Newton masking fluid
Golden Woods
Posted: September 7, 2015 Filed under: Bister, Snowy Grove | Tags: Bister, Canson watercolour paper, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress inks, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 14 Comments
Snowy Grove (used on the card above) is one of my favourite stamps from the new PB release. I have already used it for a fall and a winter look and plan to include it in one of my upcoming Christmas card classes. To create this scene I created the soft gradation of colour behind the trees first by brayering memento dandelion ink over the bottom half of the panel and memento cantaloupe ink over the top half. I then inked the stamp with forest moss, gathered twigs and dried marigold distress inks and stamped. For the more watery blended look I inked the stamp again with vintage photo and spiced marmalade distress stains and stamped a second time (with the help of the misti). Because the stains sit on the paper for a while without soaking in I was able to grab a paintbrush and paint over the large trunks to fill in the empty circles that suggest snow. I pulled some of the stain down into the ‘ground’ area and, with some extra stain, filled the forest floor with brown stain then sprinkled some brown bister powder over the panel for extra texture.
By the way I have been enjoying watching a few amazingly artistic stampers create pretty things live or on replay using Periscope. I hope to film my first ‘scope’ some time this week. Maybe I’ll see you there. (If you haven’t heard of Periscope click on the link for a little overview)
Supplies:
Stamps: Snowy Grove (PB)
Inks: Memento Cantaloupe & Dandelion (Tsukineko ) Forest Moss, Gathered Twigs, Dried Marigold, Vintage Photo, Spiced Marmalade distress stains and/or inks (Ranger)
Cardstock: Canson 100% cotton cold pressed watercolour paper, brown cardstocks
Also: Brown Bister
#Pink Coat in New York
Posted: August 16, 2015 Filed under: On the Town, Skyline, Stamped Landscapes | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 22 Comments
I have another card for you created back in the dead of winter for a Dirty Dozen gallery on Splitcoaststampers. I had already created a NY skyline card the previous month but this I did this one when the theme was ‘For the love of friendship’ and it has a little story to go with it. I made other cards with the theme of friendship in mind but this card was made for one special friend.
When I found out my husband and I were going to New York City for our 25th wedding anniversary (the trip was a gift from our children) I asked my friend, Nan if I could borrow a coat. Despite living in Canada for 14 years the only coat I own is a ski jacket and I was not going to New York with my old ski jacket. My friend Nan, on the other hand has the most extensive coat collection I have ever seen. I borrowed a bright pink wool coat and it was freezing in NYC when we visited so I wore that coat all day long for four days. We took pictures on the Empire State, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in Saks 5th Ave and in Central Park. I put some of them on my instagram with the #pinkcoatinNYC so my friend could see the fun her coat was having. Sadly I handed the coat back after the trip with this thank you card. The coat on the card actually turned out looking like the real thing. In real life though my husband is taller 😉
I created this scene on watercolour paper generously splattered with masking fluid so I could get the snow storm effect. I inked the stamps with memento markers then added shading and blending with a paintbrush and watercolour pencils.
It’s bizarre to post this card while it is 31°C outside!
Supplies:
Stamps: Skyline, On the town (PB)
Inks: Memento London Fog, Dandelion, Tuxedo Black, Danube Blue, Rose Bud, Northern Pine, Summer Sky(Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hotpressed watercolour paper, Epic Black cardstock(Neenah)
Also: Winsor & Newton masking fluid, Kemper spatter brush, Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils
Winter view
Posted: August 8, 2015 Filed under: Prancers, Skyline, Stamped Landscapes | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 6 Comments
Here is another wintry scene I created back in January for Splitcoaststampers. My first month with the Dirty Dozen was January and all the projects had to be finished and uploaded by the 13th. When I was planning my time and projects I did not know our children had planned a trip for my husband and I to celebrate our anniversary and birthdays. They had purchased air tickets, broadway tickets and a hotel room in New York for four days! Some cards were finished before I left on January 6th and a couple, including the one above, were finished when I returned. Inspired by our trip I created this card for the ‘All Cooped Up’ theme and could not imagine a better place to be cooped up in winter than an apartment overlooking Central Park. As you can see from our photo we enjoyed walking through the park in bright sunshine. Freezing cold but sunny.
To create this scene I splattered masking fluid on watercolour paper with a spatter brush, then, when it was dry stamped partial imprints of the skyline stamp spritzing both the stamp and paper to make sure my colours blended. I used a brush to pick up and add more colour around the buildings to create the impression of a grey day. Before stamping the bottom buildings I added a snow bank mask so the base of the buildings and the trees would appear behind it.
Supplies:
Stamps: Skyline, Summer Fun, Prancers (PB)
Inks: Memento London Fog, Tuxedo Black, Paris Dusk (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hotpressed watercolour paper, Epic Black & Solar White cardstock(Neenah)
Also: Winsor & Newton masking fluid, Kemper spatter brush
In the Garden: A Bird on a Branch
Posted: June 10, 2015 Filed under: Dancing Blooms, Winged Beauty | Tags: Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 8 Comments
My ‘In the Garden’ mini-series continues today with even less botanical information than yesterday. I can tell you the stamp does in fact feature ‘a bird’ which I inked in blue because birds do come in blue and a branch which I inked in the fairly safe colours, pink and brown. If you are looking for accurate flora and fauna details you have come to the wrong place. I can however tell you how I created this little garden scene. The purpose of my mini-series is to show you some of the smaller floral stamps from the ‘Sunshine and Smiles’ release. Penny Black has brought out some fabulous large floral stamps this year but you can make beautiful cards with the little ones too.
The card above was made using two little slapstick cling stamps from the ‘Winged Beauty’ set. Two of the stamps have the same blossomy foliage so I used them repeatedly to fill the space adding the bird once at the end. I began with watercolour paper speckled with masking fluid. I wet the panel, inked the branches with distress stains and markers and stamped onto the panel. The colour bled out into the surrounding area. When the ink was almost dry I stamped the branches again achieving more defined results. I added the bird when the paper was dry and blended the colour on its feathers. To finish I added a few splatters and some blue and yellow sponging for the sky. I matted in blue cardstock and added a few die cut branches to the cardbase.
I finally filled our bird feeder and hung it in the back yard last week and I think the word is getting around again that there is seed to be had. Unfortunately the squirrels always end up hearing about the free food too and then it doesn’t last very long.
Previous ‘ In My Garden’ cards here and here.
Supplies:
Stamps: Winged Beauty (PB)
Creative Dies: Dancing Blooms (PB)
Inks: London Fog, Rich Cocoa, Baham Blue, Danube Blue, Tuxedo Black Memento Markers, Summer sky, Dandelion Memento ink (ImagineCrafts/Tsukineko) Festive Berries, Worn Lipstick distress stains (Ranger)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Blue cardstock
Trumpet Song
Posted: May 29, 2015 Filed under: Stitched Edges, Trumpet Song | Tags: Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 11 Comments
Thanks for joining me this week as I showcased stamps and dies from the new Sunshine and Smiles collection. Today I have this lovely floral slapstick cling stamp to share. I began by painting a pale blue wash over watercolour paper with Broken China distress stain. Once that was dry I inked the Trumpet Song stamp with Danube Blue and Grape Jelly memento markers on the flowers, Bamboo Leaves and Cottage Ivy on the leaves, Dandelion, Cantaloupe and Tuxedo Black on the bird and Rich Cocoa and Black on the twigs. I spritzed the stamp lightly before stamping on the watercolour panel. I used a paint brush to pick up memento ink from an acrylic block which I added to the stamped image. To finish I splattered some grape jelly and cottage ivy ink over the panel.
To complete the card I cut both the painted panel and a blue mat with one of the stitched edge dies, attached it all to a natural white card base then added a sentiment.
Karen has used this stamp on a couple of gorgeous cards recently here and here.
Supplies:
Stamps: Trumpet Song, Pretty Petals (PB)
Creative Dies: Stitched Edges
Inks: Broken China distress stain, Evergreen Bough distress inks (Ranger) Versafine Deep Lagoon, Danube Blue, Grape Jelly, Bamboo Leaves, Cottage Ivy, Dandelion, Cantaloupe, Tuxedo Black, Rich Cocoa memento markers(Imagine Craft/Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Natural White cardstock
With love, my friend
Posted: May 22, 2015 Filed under: Delicate Florals, Watercolour | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains, Tsukineko Memento inks 17 Comments
I made this for a close friend of mine who unexpectedly ended up in hospital this week. I am pleased to say she should be home by now. I began by painting a background with blue and red watercolour paints which I left to dry completely. During the whole painting and and stamping process I had the panel turned vertically but when it came to make the card I preferred it in landscape orientation. I inked the brambles stamp in mustard seed distress stain, spritzed it then stamped. The flower heads of the ‘delicate florals’ stamp, I inked in barn door distress stain and the stems in memento espresso truffle marker, spritzed and stamped. The flower heads were quite watery so I let them dry and stamped again over the top to add some details. I ended up keeping the frame made by the tape placed around the panel and popping it up on a card base made from watercolour paper. I have mentioned before how the whole matchy-matchy thing is very important to me so sometimes the card base has to be exactly the same not just close which is what it would be if I used a different card stock.
Supplies:
Stamps: Delicate Florals, Gratitude, Bramble (PB)
Inks: Mustard Seed, Barn Door distress stains, Black Soot distress marker(Ranger) Expresso Truffle memento marker, Versafine Majestic Blue & Vintage Sepia (Imagine Craft/Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
More blossoms
Posted: May 18, 2015 Filed under: Delicate Blossoms | Tags: Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 9 Comments
I have been creating cards with the delicate blossoms stamp quite a bit lately. I think my favourite so far is one I did for the Dirty Dozen on Splitcoast so you need to be a fan club member to view that one. I will also be using the stamp in my upcoming class which has an oriental theme running through it.
Today’s card is inspired by Chinese art and wall hangings. I started by positioning a frisket film circle mask, then splattering some masking fluid over the watercolour panel. Once the masking fluid was dry I painted some misty mountains in blue and surrounded the moon in blue also. When that was dry I removed the moon mask and inked the blossom stamp with markers, a pink, an orange and a brown. I gently spritzed the stamp and stamped once over the moon, re-inked and stamped a partial print lower down. I blended the colours on paper using a clear wink of stella pen so the petals all have a little shimmer and sparkle to them. I waited until all the ink was dry before rubbing off the masking fluid then splattered a bit of blue paint here and there.
Adding a sentiment was a bit tricky for this card because I didn’t really plan ahead. I have a clever card making friend who plans the position of her sentiment first and then designs around it. I rarely do that and sometimes end up with no sentiment or a badly positioned one like I have here. To stamp the words above the branch looked too crowded in the middle and below the branch it didn’t fit so I stamped in black which was dark enough to show up on top of the brown branch. I could have chosen a different sentiment but the ‘proverb’ style of the sentiment worked with my picture of a faraway land.
Supplies:
Stamps: Heartfelt, Delicate Blossoms (PB)
Inks: Rose Bud, Cantaloupe, Rich Cocoa, Tuxedo Black Memento markers & Versafine Onyx Black(Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
Also: clear wink of stella pen, Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Winsor & Newton masking fluid, Grafix fristket film
Irises
Posted: May 13, 2015 Filed under: Allegro | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Tsukineko Memento inks 7 Comments
These little irises are a bit of a contrast to the large floral brushstroke stamps Penny Black released a few months ago. The iris is from a transparent set called Allegro and is one of six flowers in the set. I used a selection of distress and memento markers to ink the stamp and watercolour paints to create a soft wash in the background. I spritzed the stamp before stamping and also used a brush to blend colours on paper once stamped. I think I prefer working on a slightly larger scale but it was an interesting exercise to see how much detail I could get on such a little watercoloured scene.
There are brand new stamps and dies on the PB blog this week with give-aways! I hope to feature them here on Bits & Pieces very soon.
Supplies:
Stamps: So Lucky, Allegro (PB)
Inks: Forest Moss, Pine Needles, Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door, Distress Markers(Ranger) & Grape Jelly memento marker, Imperial Purple versafine ink (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Avon Brilliant white, Purple cardstock
Also: Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints
Heather Telford 