Watercolor Weekend Fall Wreath

A few weeks ago, I posted a summery wreath using my Art Impressions Watercolor stamps, and as soon as the leaves started turning, I created a fall version:

 I began by tracing a 2 1/4" circle onto my Canson Watercolor paper with a pencil to use as a guideline.  I picked my colour palette of softer, faded colours of Tombow Markers.  Using #098 Avocado, I coloured up the leafy branch from 5126 - WC Foliage Set 4, stamping it in first and second generation in four clusters around the circle.  Using both of the vine stamps from the same set, I coloured them both up in #992 Sand and tucked them around the greenery (I love it that there are two vines bending in different directions - they make great filler stamps on a wreath!)

Now I wanted to add in the pumpkin elements before my wreath got too full, so I started with the cluster of tiny flowers from 4868 WC Flower Set 2.  Using #533 Peacock Blue I stamped them 3 times in a circle in the lower left corner of my wreath, and then tucked them in three other places around the perimeter.  Starting with the smaller pumpkin from 5059 - WC Harvest Set, I coloured the body in #946 Gold Ochre, and the stem in #098 Avocado.  I masked it, and stamped the larger pumpkin behind it.  I softened the lines with a damp #4 paintbrush, pulling out the colour - leaving the top edges white as the highlight.  I picked up some #879 Brown from my palette adding shadows to the lower sections of the pumpkins, and in their crevices.  I took the wheat image from 5008 - WC Flower Set 3 (I think it's supposed to be lavender, but today they are wheat stalks!) and colouring it with #991 Light Ochre - I stamped them repeatedly behind the pumpkins, and cascading below them.  And finally I used one of the berry images from 4963 - WC Fall Set coloured in #879 Brown and #837 Wine Red for the berries, and tucked them in and around the wreath where I could.  I only dabbed lightly with my damp brush, as I don't want the lines of the images to deteriorate with the addition of too much water.  I picked up #098 from my palette, and wherever I had white space, I hand painted in a few extra leaves.

The sentiment is from the 4205 - Harvest TF Set, stamped in Versafine Onyx Black ink.  I die cut my panel with the 5063 Double Stitched Rectangle Die, matted it with black cardstock, and used 3D pop dots to adhere it to my kraft paper base.  I added a few amber coloured tiny sparkles to finish it off.  Be sure to visit the Art Impressions blog to see what Dot & Tricia have come up with!