Bouquet for Watercolour Weekend

Time for another Watercolour Weekend post.  I love the 5194 - WC Shoe Set for it's versatility!  Each of the shoes in the set can create a totally different kind of card, and today I've chosen the work boot:

I began by colouring the boot with my Tombow Dual Brush Marker #565 Deep Blue, and stamping it off on scrap paper.  Then I reinked it with #969 Chocolate, and stamped it onto my Canson XL Watercolor Paper.  I used my damp #4 paintbrush to soften the lines and pull out the colour, concentrating it where the shadows would be: the lower edge of the boot, under the creases, and in and under the laces.

I always build my bouquets from the bottom up, so using the two trailing sprigs from 5007 - WC Foliage Set 3, I coloured them with #249 Hunter Green, and stamped them trailing over each side of the boot.  Next I used three different blooms from Flower Set - 4052, stamping the daisy bunch in #837 Wine Red, always 3 times in a circular pattern to create a cluster (this is a filler flower, and appears lower in the bouquet, so I start with them).  Using the Lupine-like bloom, coloured in #993 Chrome Orange, I stamped it twice.  Finally, with the tall bloom, I stamped it in #565, filling in areas that needed some shape, being sure to vary the height and angle of them.  After touching everything with a damp brush, I could see which spots needed to be filled in with greenery.  I used the small green from 5009 - WC Mini Flower Set coloured in #177 Dark Jade, stamping it repeatedly in and around the blooms, filling out the shape of the bouquet.

With my image complete, I picked up #565 from my palette, and added a few shadows, in and under the flowers, and on the boot as well.  I also painted the suggestion of shadows along the ground, and after watering the blue even more, I painted a background around the bouquet.  I stamped the sentiment from 5136 - WC Sentiment Set 2 using Versafine Onyx Black ink, then used my sewing machine to stitch the rectangle to some indigo cardstock.  I decided to mount it to my base on an angle, and added a few deep pink enamel dots. 

Teachers Rule

Using up a few images that I had already stamped, and some older Schoolhouse papers from October Afternoon.  Here are a couple of cards for my sister, using Teachers Rule Set from Art Impressions:

 I love this sentiment!  Most teachers that I know do, too!

 Nothing beats October Afternoon!  One of my favourite companies.  Everything is coloured with Copic Markers.

And I have a spiffy new Ai signature to show off today!

Even More Greenery Invites!

Can you tell that I stamped a bunch of images from this stamp set?  Here's my third card using the new Greenery Invites set from Art Impressions:

Quick and simple - with just a limited colour palette, it coloured up quite quickly.  I plan to make up a bunch of these to have on hand, without sentiments - then I can just stamp "thank you", "thinking of you" or "happy birthday" when I want to use them.

More Greenery Invites

I have another card to share using the Greenery Invites set from Art Impressions.  There are two gorgeous wreath images in the set, so I made up several cards, all in the same basic design:

I coloured the image up first, and then went in search of paper to mount it on - and found this ancient patterned paper from my CTMH days that fit the fill.  Love it when I can use up something from my stash.  And another card is ready to send to my sister :o)  This one also works for the current challenge from the Papercrafter's Workshop! (You can find this stamp set on their site, here!)

Greenery Invites

This is my favourite new set from Art Impressions!  I used Greenery Invites to put together a card for the current challenge by the Papercrafter's Workshop:

Sigh.  It's always much prettier in person - this is a beautiful blue/green shade, and a slightly creamy cardstock, but my photo is looking a little washed out.  Oh well, use your imagination!  I've stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black, and used Copic markers to colour the image.  I am playing along with the current challenge on the Papercrafter's Workshop facebook page, which is to use squares on a project.

Blueprint Cocktails

I felt like creating something bright and happy today, so I pulled out a new (to me!) set by Tim Holtz: Blueprint Cocktails by Stamper's Anonymous, and made a couple of quick cards:

 I love all of Tim's Blueprint style images, and this is the only set where I own them in the larger size.  I stamped them in Memento Tuxedo Black on Cryogen cardstock, which has a lovely shimmer to it.

 After colouring with my Copics, I matted them on bright Doodlebug Designs cardstock and onto my fun background paper.  I added some Wink of Stella in a few spots to add a little sparkle.

'Till next time :o)

Ink Blending for Watercolor Weekend

 Hello Ai fans!  I have another card to share for this week's Watercolor Weekend on the Art Impressions blog, using 5270 - Columns Set, with minimal stamping, but lots of ink blending:

I wanted to use the lamp post image, and create a night scene, so pulled out my Distress Oxide inks, and blending brushes.  I put some tiny pencil markers on my cardstock indicating where the post would be, so that I knew where the yellow glow would be centered, and set to work blending.  Starting with Wild Honey, then Picked Raspberry and finally Blueprint Sketch.  I used some Faded Jeans around the edges of my panel, and masked off the bottom section to use it to create the ground.

Using my Versafine Onyx Black ink, I stamped the lamp post, and positioned my sentiment from 5066 - Light to my Path Set beside it.  I used my N25 Lamp Black and N55 Cool Grey 7 Tombow Dual Brush markers directly onto my cardstock, adding in the shadows on the lamp post.  After die cutting the panel, I adhered it to my black card base with 3D adhesive tape.

Be sure to check out the Ai blog on Saturday, to see what Dot & Tricia have to share!

Laughing Set

Another quick card that I coloured by the TV this week!  This is one of the Art Impressions Girlfriend's set: 4385 - Laughing Set:

 I kept the outside pretty simple, letting the image do all the work.  The inside sentiment is from a different Girfriends set: 4050 - Comfy on the Couch Set, and it says "Friends who laugh, last."

Fire Out Set

Here's an oldie that I haven't used in a while. This is 4371 - Fire Out Set from Art Impressions.

 I had this stamped and just waiting to be coloured... pulled out my Copics and did some TV colouring this weekend.

Art Impressions Exclusive Daisy Set

I am playing along with the Papercrafter's Workshop challenge today, which is "make something with ribbon", and pulled out the Art Impressions Exclusive Daisy Set available at Scrapbook.com:

 I stamped my daisy wreath onto Cryogen cardstock, and coloured it with my Copic markers.  I wanted to make them multi coloured (less daisy-like!), for a spring card.  The circle is adhered with pop dots, and I added an organdy ribbon underneath.  My card is 5 1/2" square.

There are challenges on the Papercrafter's Workshop facebook page, every Monday & Thursday if you want to play along.

A little Easter card

Just a quick Easter card that I made to give to a coworker this week.  I had this sweet bunny from the Art Impressions 4886K - Easter Blessings set by Kendra Krebs:

 I had this image stamped and ready to colour, so did some "TV colouring" with my Copics and fussy cut him out.  I created an oval frame with a cutout in the center of it, and raised both the image, and the pink panel with 3D adhesive for a little dimension:

Cherry Blossoms

I am playing along with the current challenge on the Art Impressions blog: Bloom Where You're Planted.  I am using the Cherry Exclusive Set - available at Scrapbook.com (click on the photo at the end of my post):

This set also includes several cherry images, but I chose the blossoms, and stamped them on my Cryogen cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, and coloured it with my Copic markers.  The sentiment is from the Daisy Exclusive Set, stamped in Onyx Black Versafine Ink.

I die cut it with a stitched oval die, and mounted it onto my background with 3D adhesive tape.  Papers are older October Afternoon.

Exclusive Cherry Set for Watercolor Weekend

I am using the lovely Art Impressions Exclusive Cherry Set available from Scrapbook.com today!

I began by stamping my image onto some smooth watercolour paper (the paint doesn't move around quite as much, but gave me a bit more control of where my colour went).  Using my Tombow Dual Brush Marker in #837 Wine Red, I painted the cherries in layers, starting with a fairly pale wash, leaving plenty of white areas to give them a shiny appearance.  After several layers of #837, I wanted the shadows to be darker still, so I went over the darkest areas with #899 Redwood - which is a dark brown colour.  I painted the branch and cherry stems with #992 Sand, then added touches of #991 Light Ochre for a little warmth.  

I kept in mind that the undersides of leaves are always paler, so I painted those areas with a wash of #126 Light Olive.  The rest of the leaves were painted with #177 Dark Jade, and I added several layers of the colour, keeping it concentrated along the veins.  I used a wash of #565 Deep Blue to paint in my sky (it's much stronger than it shows in the photo!), and then I used #565 to add shadows to the branch, leaves and cherries.  The sentiment is from the Daisy Exclusive Set, stamped in Onyx Black Versafine ink.  I die cut my scene, then matted in on green cardstock and adhered it onto my patterned paper background.

Ai Bible Journaling Release - Week 2

Hello Ai fans!  The Art Impressions Watercolor Design Team are helping to launch the remaining Ai Bible Journaling stamp sets.  Today's project changed as I painted.  I am using the 5272 Blossom Border Set, and had intended to paint it down one side of my rectangle, and then do a large sentiment quote beside it - but somehow, I thought a cottage would work, and ended up painting an entire scene!

 I cut the largest 5063 Double Stitched Rectangle die from Canson XL Watercolor paper, and then set up my Blossom Border in my Misti.  This made it easy for me to colour each section of my image - so I started with my Tombow Dual Brush Marker in #533 Peacock on all of the buds and flowers.  After stamping I could easily see areas I'd missed, or wanted darker, and stamped them a second time.  Next I used #249 Hunter Green to colour the leaves in the same method.  Using my damp #1 paintbrush (the smallest brush was the best choice for such small areas), I pulled out the colour from all the sections.  I scribbled some #126 Light Olive onto my palette, and added it to the leaves to brighten them up a little, and darkened the flowers with a little #565 Deep Blue.  I pulled out the colours to paint a soft halo around the floral border - and this is when my scene idea started to stick in my mind!

 I coloured the cottage from 4958 - WC Cottages Set in #565, stamped it onto my Stamp Positioner, and then reinked it with #969 Chocolate - stamping it with the help of my positioner.  After softening the lines and pulling out the colour, I used #565 on the large mountains from 5198 - WC Mountain Set, again with my positioner.  Using colours on my palette mixed together, I painted in the suggestion of far-off hills, and used #177 Dark Jade to paint the lawn around the cottage.  I used the small rocks from 5128 - As The Deer Set with #N65 Cool Grey 5 to define the edge of the stream, and used the small grass from 5073 - Bible Foliage Set and #177 adding grass to my scene.  Picking up #565 off of my palette, I painted the door, added shadows to the cottage, and the suggestion of the stream.  A little #969 was used on the roof, and to create a dirt path.

I mounted it to my kraft card base after matting with a soft blue, and added the sentiment from 5136 - WC Sentiment Set 2.