Greetings crafty friends! What are you up to this week!? Are you getting crafty?? Are you doing the 30 Day Marker Challenge?? I'm trying to color every day....but alas I'm not making it every day! The goal for me is to try new things or to try to improve my skills. Oh, and I'm also using some of my older stamps from my stash. Now that my studio is clean and organized I'm circling back to the things I really love, and some older stamps I never got around to using. It feels good.
Today's technique is watercoloring! I stamped the apple image four times and colored it four times, getting better with each attempt at blending my colors. Then I chose one of the colored images to make into a clean and simple card! The stamp set I used today is an older stamp set from Close To My Heart. It's not available any more, but I did see several on Ebay if you're interested! It's called Sweet Life! All my other supplies are listed at the bottom of my post.
The card base is A2 and made from Woodgrain paper. I love the texture of the wood combined with the texture of the watercolor paper. The watercolor paper (image) layer was die cut with some new dies I just got! A cool twist on a stitched edge! These are from Memory Box. I attached the top panel to the card using foam tape, and tied on a simple twine bow. Really classic and clean layout. I used my MIjello Mission Gold watercolor set. I LOVE them!!
For the leaves I used two shades of green watercolors and then a bit of a teal color too. I'm really learning and concentrating on leaving white space in my watercoloring. That is the key to getting that nice flowing effect (at least for me)! In this photo you can also see how I outlined the edge with aqua blue watercolor paint. This is a super fun technique that can take your project to the next level. To get this border effect, first make sure that your main image is completely dry (I used my heat tool when I watercolor). Then take a paint brush and, with clean water paint around the image. Then take a tiny bit of color and add it to the water already on your paper....and let it spread out. Let it be for a minute because it truly looks much different after it dries! Repeat this process around the entire image.
To color the apple I used two different shades of red and one shade of rich yellow. I finally got the shine effect I was going for! I left the center of the apple completely white/plain paper until the very end of the coloring. Then I added the tiniest bit of color. I was finally happy with how this one came out. I stamped the sentiment after everything was completely dry.
I love using the Prima 8x8 watercolor block to paint on. It's the perfect size to give some room to color but not too big to have to be cut down. Coloring on a block keeps your paper from warping also. I have every size of these Prima pads!!
A side view of the finished card showing the layout!
Thanks for coming by today! I hope that you will try something new or get out some old stamps and have fun playing! Creative play is so important to me and it truly enriches my life! Have a wonderful day everyone! XOXO
SUPPLIES FOR TODAY!
Really nice. Love the bright simplicity.
Posted by: Fran Smith | 06/16/2018 at 12:05 PM
Beautiful watercolor. I enjoy using my older stamp sets, too. You see new ideas when you haven’t used them in awhile. This week has been very hot, so I’m trying to craft during the hot afternoons since I have to be indoors.
Posted by: Julie | 06/13/2018 at 10:09 AM
Wanda this is gorgeous! Your coloring is perfection!! Thanks for so much inspiration, even if I can't comment on every post... I still look! Hugs.
Posted by: Diane Oliver | 06/13/2018 at 08:07 AM
Really pretty. Practice makes perfect.... I have done the adding light color around images and have been pleasantly surprised by how much it adds. Yours is wonderful. My husband had eye surgery yesterday so I have been driving in the city which I don't care for. Today again but hopefully this we be our last trip that I have to do the driving... keeping my fingers crossed!
Posted by: Anne Sturgeon | 06/13/2018 at 06:16 AM
Love, love this card! Anything with apples is tops in my book of cards!!!
Posted by: Eva | 06/13/2018 at 04:07 AM
Love your card! The coloring on the apple is wonderful. Could you share about the prima pad? Not sure I've heard of them & I don't see a source. Thanks
Posted by: Nan | 06/13/2018 at 02:52 AM