Say Cheese Watercolour Card

For the second day of class we learned more techniques using watercolour to create backgrounds for cards. This card used Debby Hughes's Watercolour Background Stamping technique. I was also able to use a new (to me) stamp called Say Cheese by Lawn Fawn.

For the background I used Distress Ink in Peacock Feathers and Impression Obsession's Cover-a-Card-Circles background stamp. I inked the stamp with Distress Ink and misted it with water before stamping the image onto watercolour paper. I watercoloured the Polaroid camera using watercolouring markers I bought years ago in Japan, they are very similar to Distress Ink markers. The sentiment was stamped on a piece of Tim Holtz's Mirrored Sheet using StazOn Opaque ink in Cotton White.

I really liked how the background turned out. It's a neat effect and I would definitely use this technique again.

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Thinking of You Watercolour Card

Also on the first day of class we learned a technique from Kristina Werner, called Stamped Emboss Resist + Watercolor Wash.

First, I stamped the background using VersaMark ink and heat embossed it using white embossing powder. That created a resist for the watercolour wash.

I die cut Thinking of You using white cardstock and glued it on top of a strip of dark grey cardstock and vellum.

On the inside of the card I watercoloured a piece of watercolour paper and then die cut Happy Birthday out of it.

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Hello Watercolour Card

On day one of the Watercolor for Card Makers class, we focused on watercolour backgrounds. For this card I used Laura Bassen's technique called Vibrant Watercolor Wash Background.

I "smushed" a small acrylic stamping block into Distress Ink, sprayed it with a bit of water using a water mister, and stamped the block directly onto the watercolour paper.

I die cut the sentiment from the background and then built up the layers before gluing the coloured layer back on top.

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Pre-Class Card #2

Before class started, one of the instructors, Kristina Werner, gave us an assignment to experiment with our watercolour paints. I learned to make plaid backgrounds using watercolours and simple straight lines.

I watered-down my watercolours and made pastel colours. I painted simple lines and layered them to make this plaid background.

This turtle and sentiment came from the Lawn Fawn Year Two stamp set. I have also painted him using watercolours. I just love turtles!! 

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Pre-Class Card #1

I have enrolled in the newest Online Card Class, Watercolor for Card Makers. I've always enjoyed watercolor painting, so I was especially excited for this class.

Before the class began I made some cards on my own using watercolouring techniques. The first card I made features the brand new stamp from The Greeting Farms's Super Secret Stamp Club, SSSC No. 005 - Beauty. She is really cute and would be perfect for a Mother's Day card.

I painted the background using various watercolours. Then I placed a piece of vellum on top to tone down the colours.

I also watercoloured Beauty, the hello die cut and the little hearts.

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~

Birthday Balloon Card Tutorial

Hello everyone, it's been far too long since I last posted. But today I have a card tutorial for you.

Materials:

- thick white cardstock for the card base (I used Neenah 110lb Solar White cardstock)

- a piece of watercolour paper (I used Strathmore 140lb watercolor paper)

- regular cardstock for stamping on (I used Neenah 80lb Solar White cardstock)

- twine (I used Hemptique 10lb Hemp Cord)

- balloon stamps and a happy birthday sentiment stamp (I used a stamp set from Studio Calico)

- inks in various colours (I used Mama Elephant's pigment inks in: Lollipop, Sunshine, and Eggplant)

- watercolour paint in a light blue colour (I used Tim Holtz's Distressed Reinker Ink in Salty Ocean)

- a paintbrush for water colouring and a cup of water for washing your paintbrush

- an embossing folder with clouds on it (I used Darice's Clouds Background)

- am embossing machine (I used Sizzix's Big Shot)

- a thick opaque white paint (I used Copic's Opaque White paint)

- a couple of cotton swabs/Q-Tips

- liquid glue (I used Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Multi-Medium in matte)

- double sided adhesive (I used Sookwang's Score Tape)

- some foam adhesive (I used Scrapbook Adhesive's 3D Foam Squares)

Step 1:

Cut a 3 7/8" x 4 1/2" piece of watercolour paper and emboss it in the cloud embossing folder. Then watercolour the sky background using a diluted solution of reinker ink or watercolour paint. Try to avoid the clouds.

Step 2:

Dab the Q-Tip into the paint and then onto the clouds. Use an up and down motion to create texture and avoid streaks. I dabbed on a thick layer of paint to give the clouds added texture.

Step 3:

Stamp the balloons in different colours. And then stamp the sentiment in black (not shown in this picture). If you like you can heat emboss the sentiment in clear embossing powder as I did.

Step 4:

Cut a 4 1/4" long strip of paper. Use one of the ink colours you used for one of your balloons to colour the strip of paper. Then trim the piece of inked paper to 1/4" wide.

Step 5:

Tie the twine around each of the balloons. Cut out the happy birthday sentiment and then paint the background with the same blue paint as the sky background. 

Now gather all of your pieces and prepare for assembling. Use the double-sided adhesive to tape on the sky panel to the top of the card base. Glue the thin strip of paper directly underneath the sky background. Use glue to adhere the yellow and purple balloons onto the sky background. Use foam tape to adhere the red balloon so it sits above the other two balloons. Also use foam tape to adhere the sentiment to make it pop up and allow some space for the twine (balloon strings) to sit underneath.

Step 6: 

Tie the three balloon strings together with a little bow and then trim the twines at the bottom.

Finished card:

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and make sure to visit again, because I have a whole bunch of new cards to share with you very soon!!

Thanks for visiting!

~ Cheryl

Mama Elephant Challenge - January 2014

Today I am entering Mama Elephant's January 2014 Challenge. We have to use this beautiful picture as our inspiration.

And this is the card I was inspired to make...

I used Mama Elephant's Lovely Mum stamp set to create this card. This isn't your usual card, because the card is much like a shadow box.

The flowers were created by layering the pedals. This flower has 7 layers, believe it or not! My favorite part of this card is how the strands of pearls floats in front of the flower.

And this one has 5 layers.

This is the back of the card.

And when you take the banner off you can open the card.

This is where you write your personal message.

This card was challenging. It took me two whole days to finish it, but I think it was worth it and I had fun along the way. I can't wait until Mother's Day to give it to my Mommy. ^_^

Thanks for visiting,

Cheryl ~