Last Day for Diva Watercoloring!

Hi everyone! I'm posting with the end-of-the-month team at Die Cut Divas today as inspiration for the last day of our May Watercolor Challenge. I couldn't resist doing the old watercolor print-making technique to create a background & embellishments for a Christmas card.

Supplies: Paper - Strathmore 300 Cold Press Watercolor;

Core'dinations A2 kraft card

Stamps - Art Impressions Woodland Critters Set

Dies - Art Impressions Large Snowflake Dies;

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Altenew 24 Pan set; 

Hero Arts Iridescent Shimmer Spray

Using a piece of watercolor paper as a work surface, I watercolored snowflakes that I'd die cut from watercolor paper. I did four snowflakes, moving the smaller ones around to add that color more places. I moved the snowflakes to a paper towel to add more color and to spray them with shimmer spray. Once dry, I die cut the work surface panel with a stitched rectangle & added it to an A2 kraft card. Stamped a sentiment from the Woodland Critters set & glued three snowflakes around it - done! I saved the fourth snowflake for future but you can see it off to the side in the photo.

For my bonus, I wanted to do a couple more pages for my mini watercolor journal started HERE. I already had two blank pages ready to go from that previous post; just not added to the journal yet.

Supplies: Paper - Strathmore 300 Cold Press Watercolor;

scrap of kraft

Stamps - Art Impressions With a Friend Window &

Mini Journal Set 

Dies - Art Impressions Mini Journal Template,

Other - Liquid watercolors & Altenew 24 Pan set

First I stamped the With a Friend Window image - one of AI's fabulous Windows to the World collection - onto watercolor paper. I watercolored it with leftover inks in my palette (mostly Altenew 24 pan), plus water.  Once dry, I die cut it with the back panel to the window frame die from the journal set. Then I cut the window frame from a scrap of kraft cardstock & layered it atop the watercolored panel. Added this to a journal page. I love how the window panes open to show more of the scene!

Next I stamped the mailbox from the Mini Journal stamp set & watercolored it, doodling some grass & flowers. Die cut it with the frame die that cuts an interior rectangle. Then I die cut a kraft frame to go around it. Glued this to the opposite page and added the pages to the journal. Here's a photo of how they fit:

There's room to add more artwork on the back sides of the pages I've completed, plus the insides of the covers and back. Kinda fun to work with the small scale.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see your watercolored project in the May Diva gallery by 9pm Pacific Time today!! Happy coloring!

A Mini Watercolor Journal

Hi all - welcome! I'm posting the project below at Die Cut Divas today as inspiration for our May Watercolor Challenge. 

Supplies: Paper - Strathmore 300 Cold Press Watercolor;

Tim Holtz Gold Kraft Metallic

Dies - Art Impressions Mini Journal Template,

Mini Journal Set & Exclusive Sparrow 

(a freebie not sold; On the Sparrow Set would also work)

Other - Liquid watercolors & Altenew 24 Pan set

I love Art Impression who's our May sponsor - thanks AI! I wanted to use one of their mini journal die sets for my watercoloring. First I die cut the journal cover and pages from watercolor paper. I watercolored these with leftover green & yellow inks in my palette (mostly Hero Arts), plus water. I used a large flat brush and made a texture as I applied the ink. After the cover dried, I added the gold clasp and photo corners, cut from TH gold metallic. Here's a photo of the closed journal cover in my hand so you can see the scale:

Next I die cut two scalloped rectangles from the journal set to layer onto a couple pages. I stamped a sparrow on one and the birdhouse on the other. I watercolored these with Altenew 24 pan watercolors. The bird image was a freebie that came from AI with an order; they have wonderful freebies! I doodle painted some leaves on the branch and some grass below the birdhouse. Nothing special - I'm not good at watercoloring!! Glued them to the pages and glued the two pages together, overlapping at the center tabs. Here's a photo:

Finally, I glued this pair of pages (the journal packaging shows doing two) into the journal. I didn't do the flip sides of these pages yet; that'll be for another day. Here's a photo of the journal open with the above pages glued in. You glue another set of pages to the right side.

Since I did the journal and a couple pages, I don't have an additional bonus project today. I'll add my project to Darnell's May NBUS Challenge #74 since my journal dies are newly used. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see your water colored project in the May Diva gallery!! Have a crafty day!

Watercoloring with Altenew

Hey everyone - welcome! I'm providing inspiration over at Die Cut Divas today for our Water Color Challenge with the amazing Altenew as our sponsor. I took their collaboration class with Spellbinders back in February, adding new techniques and products from both brands. One of my new purchases was Altenew's beautiful Golden Days Stamp Die Stencil Hot Foil Bundle.

Supplies: Paper - Bazzill A2 card; Tim Holtz Jewel kraft metallic;

Strathmore watercolor paper

Hot Foil Plate - Altenew Golden Days

Stencil - Altenew Golden Days Simple Coloring Stencil Set (4 in 1)

Dies - Altenew Mix and Match Frames

Stamps - Altenew Floral Sprig

Other - Spellbinders Hot Foil Roll - Pewter; 

various Hero Arts Reactive and Tim Holtz Distress Inks; 

water spritzer & Hero Arts Iridescent shimmer spray

 

Process: Hot foil the Golden Days flower onto the smoother side of a 6x8" piece of watercolor paper using pewter foil and a hot foiling system (I used Spellbinders Glimmer).

Stencil the flower using the coordinating stencil set & water reactive inks. Move the ink with water & brushes. Spritz lightly with shimmer spray through the base flower stencil. Let dry thoroughly.

Die cut into two pieces using the Mix and Match Frames deckle die (save one piece for bonus project). Layer onto metallic panel die cut with the dotted frame die. Add to A2 card.

Stamp the thank you sentiment from the Floral Sprig set. Add a few dots from the die cut frame.

Now for a bonus using the other half of the flower panel. Hard to see but I added a clear enamel water droplet in the lower right of the flower. The sentiment is from the same Floral Sprig set. I sent this card to dear Lin (Sending Hugs) for her birthday.

Ready for a threefer?

My first attempt at foiling the Golden Days flower (used gold foil) ended up with loads of over-foiling because I used an unnecessary shim. I set the panel aside and tried a new panel which I used on cards one and two. Then I went back to my first panel - could I save it? I simply trimmed the flower smaller so I didn't have much over-foil to erase. Next I watercolored it freely & let dry, then I used the fourth stencil to add more dark red (in this case Lumberjack Plaid DI) & moved it a bit with water. Finally, spritzed heavily with Iridescent spray. Oh, and I took a damp cloth and went over the center foil that had kinda muted with the watercoloring. Die cut gold metallic cardstock using the 3rd die in the Mixed Frame set, leaving all the bits in (they were anchored well into this heavy cardstock). Added to an A2 card along with the flower popped up with foam tape. Had a tiny white flaw on the card base so covered it up with a gold gel pen & continued dotting! Finally adhered some stamped/embossed/die cut leaves (also from the Golden Days bundle) that I'd watercolored. Could've used more, I think, but I was lazy.... Done!

I'll add card three to Darnell's April NBUS Challenge since the Golden Days plate technically got first play there.

Thanks for stopping and I hope you check out the April Diva Challenge! Happy crafting!

Last Day for Watercoloring at Die Cut Divas

Hey friends - Happy Halloween if you're celebrating! Today's your last chance to join the Die Cut Divas for our October Watercoloring Challenge with our amazing sponsor Altenew. As always, just be sure to use a die cut &/or embossing folder in your design. 

You can see today's end-of-month Diva post HERE where my teamies & I are sharing our watercolored creations. Here's mine:

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A2 card; 

Hero Arts Watercolor Paper; Paper Studio glitter cardstock

Stamps with Dies - Altenew Wishing You Complete Bundle

Dies - Altenew Lacy Doily;

Hero Arts Nesting Oval Infinity Dies

Other - Altenew Florals Coloring Book and Watercolor Bundle

Our lucky random winner from eligible October entries will receive a 100%

discount code for an Artists' Watercolor 24 Pan Set (value $49.99)!!

I once again used a floral panel from Altenew's coloring book. After watercoloring it, I fussy cut it and added to an A2 card with a glittery die cut doily. The Altenew sentiment stamp/die set I used was a gift from sister Diva Cindy (Escape to Stamping) - how sweet of her!! Love this set!

I'm linking this card to Darnell's October NBUS Challenge since the Wishing set is new; thanks again, Cindy!!

Ready for a bonus? Since I had the coloring book out, I simply selected another fabulous floral & watercolored it. This time I die cut it with an oval & added it to an A2 card along with part of another doily. A Simon Says Stamp sentiment strip finished the project.

Thanks for stopping and I hope to see you in the October Diva Gallery! 

Link up your project by 9pm Pacific Time today. Happy crafting!!

Watercolored Floral Birthday Card

Hey friends - it's my turn to post at Die Cut Divas today, sharing the card below. We're sponsored this month by the amazing Altenew with the challenge theme of Watercoloring! As always, just be sure to use a die cut &/or embossing folder in your design.

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A2 card; 

Unity black; scrap of green

Stamps - Altenew Floral Frame (sentiment) 

Dies - A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop

Other - Altenew Florals Coloring Book and 

Watercolor Bundle; SSS sentiment strip; Park Lane gems;

black Sharpie & pencil

Our lucky random winner from eligible October entries will receive a 100%

discount code for an Artists' Watercolor 24 Pan Set (value $49.99)!!

I finally had a chance to play with a floral panel from Altenew's coloring book. I bought the entire bundle as a 2021 birthday present to myself ; yep, it's been waiting over 18 months to be used! The images to color are printed on watercolor paper so I just pulled out the 24 pan set & brushes (also getting first use) and went to work. I used varying amounts of water to apply color & shading. Then I used a black pencil for some shadows and a black Sharpie here & there to finish it off. I'm ok with the result, even though I'm definitely no expert. I cut the panel down to fit atop a diecut mat & adhered to the card. I stamped a sentiment and fussy cut, then added to black and fussy cut a mat layer. Some gems and a little Happy printed sentiment strip finished it off.

I will also link this card to Darnell's October NBUS Challenge since my watercolor set has finally made it off Mount NBUS - Whew!!

Ready for a bonus? Since I had the coloring book out, I simply selected another fabulous floral & watercolored it. Again, I added a few details with a sharpie & some shading, then distressed the edges with Black Soot & glued the die cut panel to an A2 card. Stamped a different sentiment from the same set as above & added some gems - done!

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A2 card

Stamps - Altenew Floral Frame (sentiment) 

Dies - Hero Arts Nesting Rectangle Infinity Dies

Other - Altenew Florals Coloring Book and 

Watercolor Bundle; Black Soot Distress Ink; 

Hero Arts Forest Green Ink; Park Lane gems;

black Sharpie, white gel pen

On this one I added a lot of white gel pen. I was heavy handed with the black Sharpie in a couple spots so I tried to disguise them with white. That led me down the garden path adding more and more white, oh well...

Thanks for stopping and I hope to see you in the October Diva Gallery! Link up your project by 9pm Pacific Time on 10/31/22. Happy crafting!!